What You've Kept From Me
by YourEyes1012
Summary: Natalie has been hiding the reason she broke up with Henry in college. 4 years later, they meet again. And this time Henry won't take no for an answer. Bad summary..please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

Henry was walking around in Drug Fair, waiting for his allergy medicine prescription to be ready. He was just wandering, looking at random things. He turned down an aisle and stopped. It was…no…it couldn't be! It was so long ago. But it was. And Henry couldn't help but call,

"Natalie?" The young, beautiful all grown up woman turned to him.

"Oh my God." She murmured. 4 years had gone by since they broke up. They were both 24, and out of college, where they ended things.

"Whoa!" Henry smiled, thrilled to see her again after she randomly kicked him out of her life out of nowhere. She had insisted it was for the best. He had regretted not fighting it for the past 4 years. He walked towards her. "Barbie band-aids, nice." He observed the object in her hand.

She rolled her eyes. "How are you?" He asked. "It's been a while." He added.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Natalie said suddenly ,when a little voice started crying out,

"Mommy! Mommy!" And an adorable, pint sized brunette with curly hair ran into Natalie's legs. "They have skittles! Can I get them, please, please, please?" Henry got confused for a moment.

"Mommy?" He asked and Natalie gave him a look that just said

"Yup…"

"Whoa…well congrats." Henry said, chuckling. Natalie didn't even smile. The little girl grinned at Henry. Henry bent down to her height.

"Hi." He said. "What's your name?"

"Jessica." She whispered.

"I'm Henry. Your mom and I used to be really good friends." He said. Jessica smiled.

"I'm learning to ride my bike." She said randomly.

"That's awesome." Henry told her.

"But I fall a lot, that's why Mommy needs the band aids." Jessica explained to him. Henry chuckled.

"You look pretty young to be riding a bike. How old are you?"

"4 years old!" Jessica squealed happily.

"Wow! Riding a bike at 4 years old, you're an over achiever. Just like your Mom."

"My mom calls me that word!" Jessica replied and Henry smiled and stood up. Natalie was giving him a weird look.

"Are you okay?" Henry asked her. "I mean, I know things ended badly, but you're acting weird."

"Everything's great." Natalie replied, taking her daughter's hand. Henry looked at Jessica and suddenly something hit him. He looked between her and Natalie.

"Did…did you say you were 4 years old?" Henry asked nervously. Jessica nodded and Henry looked at Natalie with a worried expression on his face. "Natalie…4 years…?" He began to ask but Natalie quickly said

"I'm sorry, I forgot, I have a uh…dentist appointment. We need to go. It was nice seeing you again." Natalie cried, dragging Jessica away, the little girl waving back at Henry.

There was no way she was…I mean it couldn't be…but that would make sense – that's why Natalie broke up with him! She was pregnant! No..No…No….

So many thoughts were buzzing in Henry's mind he didn't even remember what happened next.

**Thoughts/Reviews? **


	2. Chapter 2: Back In Time

This is a flashback to 4 years ago mainly about Natalie!

Natalie was in the middle of the dorm, dancing with some of the girls she had become friendly with at college. Henry had a huge final so he had to stay back and study. He told Natalie to have a good time and she was. She had finally come to a point, where she could relax and let loose, and party, and even drink without things getting out of hand. She was having fun.

One of her guy friends, Dean began dancing with the girls and one by one the others disappeared and it was just him and Natalie. They continued dancing, and after Natalie's last beer settled in, began grinding. They both thought of it as all in good fun. Dean didn't really know Henry but he knew him and Natalie were dating. But Dean's drinks were settling in as well, and his hands landed on her upper thighs as she danced with him, and pretty soon their lips were meeting.

Dean offered her another drink and they both gulped down another can of God knows what. They continued kissing, all the way out of the dorm and into the hallway, where Dean began pulling her with him. He unlocked his room and they kissed all the way inside, roughly. Natalie groaned as Dean began removing her shirt and kissing her neck. Before either of them realized what was happening their clothes were shed and they had taken their kissing to the bed.

Things began getting more intimate, and Henry appeared in Natalie's mind. She felt horrible but she was too trashed to do anything, and she was having fun. It felt good…but not right. It only ever felt right with Henry.

And in Henry's arms is where she woke up the next morning, feeling guilty. So she went back to sleep, and woke up to the smell of coffee. Henry smiled at her.

"You feeling better?" He asked. "You were totally trashed." He added, chuckling and handing her a mug of coffee. Natalie just sighed.

"Sorry." She murmured.

"It's okay." Henry kissed her cheek. But he didn't know what she was actually sorry for.

"I love you." Natalie piped up.

"I love you too." Henry gently kissed her on the lips. Natalie pulled away."You okay?" Henry asked.

"Yeah." Natalie touched Henry's cheek, knowing that she hadn't meant the night before. Knowing that she loved Henry and only Henry.

Later that day Natalie was out, walking around the Yale campus and she ran into Dean.

"Hey." He said casually.

"Hi." She replied. Dean smiled,

"Look, it's not that I didn't enjoy myself, or that I don't like you, because I do. You're a nice person, and I like us as friends. But I'd like it if the both of us can agree that last night didn't mean anything, to either of us." Dean said, putting a hand on Natalie's shoulder.

"Yeah, I feel the same way. I'm sorry…for it. We were both pretty trashed." She said, laughing. Dean chuckled,

"Yeah. So, we're good, right?" He asked.

"Yeah." Natalie replied and they quickly hugged. Natalie was just happy that at least she hadn't cheated on Henry with some scum bag she met at some sleazy club. At least it was someone…nice. A good guy.

"Are you going to tell your boyfriend?" Dean asked. "I'm sorry, if this causes trouble."

"Of course I'm telling him. I just…don't know.."

"How or when." Dean finished for her and she nodded.

"Exactly."

"Well, good luck. Let me know if you need anything." Dean told her. "See you later!" And he walked off.

Well Natalie didn't see him later. She never saw him or spoke to him again.

The next 2 days were just Natalie feeling guilty. Trying to find out how to tell Henry. Trying to show him how much she loved him, despite the fact that he had no idea what had happened. Natalie didn't know what to do to make herself feel better. Maybe..maybe if she did it again with Henry…all these feelings would go away.

Henry wasn't one to argue when Natalie kissed him passionately on the bed, and began removing his clothes. Pretty soon they were getting really into it, and then it was over. Henry's hand touched Natalie's face as they laid together afterwards. She snuggled her head into his naked chest and could feel his heart beating. But she still didn't feel any better.

And she didn't feel any better a week later, when she randomly threw up. Luckily Henry wasn't home to start questioning her if she was alright. When it happened again the next day, she told her friend, who told her to get a pregnancy test.

Natalie refused to believe what the first white stick told her, so she got another one and another one and another one. And they all said that she was pregnant. Natalie kicked the wall and yelled

"FUCK!" And then melted onto her bed, crying. Not only had she made a mistake that would ruin her life, but it wasn't just her mistake. It was hers and somebody else's.

But whether that somebody else was Henry or Dean Natalie didn't know. And she didn't want to know.

She talked to her friend, Cindy, on the phone,

"The only way to tell whose it is, is when its born."

"So, what are you going to do?" Cindy asked.

"I don't know. If I tell Henry, then, I'll have to tell him I don't know whose it is. I can't hide that from him. And he'll hate me…and then…I'll lose him, and, I can't…but..and even he does stay with me what if the baby's born and we find out its not his? Then he just wasted 9 months with a pregnant, hormonal, bitch and…I just…I can't do that to Henry. But I can't tell Dean either. I mean…I can't tell either of them. But I'd have to tell one of them to know."

"Yikes, this is…quite the sticky situation." Cindy replied.

"Yeah. But I can't not have the baby. I can't…I couldn't. So, I don't know what I'm going to do."

They hung up and Natalie thought some more. She couldn't put Henry through this, no matter how much she loved him. And she did love him. And she knew that if she told him she was pregnant and didn't mention Dean that he would be happy and stay with her. But she couldn't put the burden of a baby on Henry's life. Especially if it might not even be is. He loved her, and would stick with her through anything. Which made it so hard, because she loved him too. She really did love him. More than anything.

**Which is why she said what she said to him the next day.**

"This isn't working for me. I…I want to break up."

"You're kidding, right? Natalie that's…ridiculous! Everything's working out fine. In fact, right now everything's perfect. I…what's going on?" Henry asked, looking hurt.

"I think it's for the best."

"Why is it for the best? We love each other! We're doing fine just the way we are…I'm..I'm really not following you, Natalie."

"I don't love you anymore." She lied. And she wished she had something else, the moment Henry's face fell.

"Oh." He whispered. "Did…did I do something wrong?" He asked, looking near tears.

"No!" Natalie cried. "No..I just. Look, I….this is for the best, trust me."

"No!" Henry yelled. "I think that I at least deserve a real explanation for this!" He cried. "I've been by your side for the past 3 years..things are going perfectly and then you just randomly want to break up! This is ridiculous, after everything I've done for you!" He screamed.

Natalie began to cry.

"I know..this is..unfair….I'm sorry but…trust me. Please, just trust me. That this is for the best."

"This fucking bullshit!" Henry yelled. "I love you! You love me – I know you do! Something's wrong! And I want to know what. Is there somebody else?"

"NO!" Natalie cried. "I just….I WANT TO BREAK UP. I DON'T WANT TO BE WITH YOU ANYMORE!"

"So, what we're just supposed to share this apartment and go to school together and take the same classes and not be….."

"We won't. I'm moving back in with my parents, and going to school back in Jersey."

"Wh…wh…Natalie!"

But that was the end of it. The next day, when Henry woke up Natalie was gone. And her phone number had been changed and her facebook disappeared, and her email account deleted. She was gone without a trace. And he would never know why. Or how. Or when he would see her again, or where she had gone, or who she had gone with. But there would never be a moment that he wouldn't wonder.

Natalie moved back in with her parents for about a year and a half. She took part time classes at Rutgers, worked part time at a restaurant, and then played piano for a student singer she had befriended every Saturday night and got a small stipend of cash. She had her daughter, Jessica Brianne, and Dan and Diana watched her while Natalie went to school and work, but every other second she was home Natalie spent with Jessica. She was all she had, after all.

Natalie eventually had enough money, a few months after Jessica's 1st birthday to move out and into a townhouse with her a few towns over. That's where they had been for the past 3 years together.

Little did Natalie know that for 6 months of those 3 years, Henry had been living a mere 12 miles away.

**Reviews?**


	3. Chapter 3: We Meet Again

Present Day!

Henry ran around his apartment, muttering,

"Keys, keys, keys."

Looking everywhere for them and finally finding them in one of his sneakers. He was late to work. Again. He had left Yale about a year after Natalie and gone to NYU, and began working as an intern to some up and coming Broadway composers. He even did some music for them, and when he graduated he part time did that, and then part time music directed a nightclub, and part time taught piano. He loved all of his jobs, but somehow came to living in this suburb in New Jersey, working at a music store. Henry ran out the door to his car and went to work.

He returned that evening, quickly throwing some dinner together for himself and thinking about Natalie and Jenny….

"NO, shit it's Jessica." He thought, correcting himself. "My daughter." He thought to himself. "I have a daughter, and she kept it from me. But…I mean maybe she's not mine. Maybe Natalie had been seeing someone else all along and had gone off with that guy. Maybe she was married!" Henry couldn't help but imagine.

All he could think about was how great his life had been with Natalie. And he was devastated, and turned back to pot and drugs after she left him. But then he moved on and had a great life for a while. But moved back to Jersey, to his hometown. Mr. Goodman's town. Hoping that maybe one day they would run into each other and he would know that Natalie was okay. His life had just gone downhill from there. 6 months later and it wasn't Mr. Goodman he ran into. It was his daughter.

Or at least, he thought she was his daughter. But Natalie had run off in the store, and now Henry would never know.

"Unless…" He muttered and then leaped up and began searching the house for a phone book. No such luck. He grabbed his keys and drove back to drug fair. "Hey, maybe she's returning the band aids." He thought to himself, and then found a phone book and began looking up her name.

**Goodman, Andrew….**

**Goodman, Arnie….**

**Goodman, Chelsea…..**

**Goodman, Christopher….**

**Goodman, Daniel….**

Henry stopped, and what do you know – Dan was still living in that old house. He kept looking.

**Goodman…..**

**Goodman…**

**Goodman…**

**Goodman, Natalie 44 April Drive (no phone number listed)**

"YES!" He cried, knowing he had found her, and half because this meant she wasn't married. He got out a piece of paper from his pocket and quickly began scrawling the address down.

"You look up address. You buy phone book." A small Spanish worker told him. Henry rolled his eyes and took the book to the register.

"Anything else today?" The man asked.

"No…wait um…" Henry grabbed a bag of skittles, like he remembered Jessica liked. "These too."

It was about 7:00 now, and Henry drove quickly to Natalie's address, shoved the skittles in his pocket and ran up the townhouse porch and rang the bell, praying it was the right address.

Natalie swung open the door, wearing a little black dress, on the phone, looking pissed and frazzled.

"Hey." Henry whispered. Natalie's jaw dropped and signaled for him to come inside and then said into the phone

"Look, whatever. Don't worry about it. Bye." And hung up.

"What's going on?"

"My babysitter just canceled on me – 15 minutes after they were supposed to get here and 10 minutes before he's picking me up!" She cried, putting the phone down.

"He?" Henry asked.

"My date." She muttered.

"Oh." Henry said, trying not to let his disappointment show. "I could watch her." Henry suggested.

"What? No way…"

"I mean if she is….."

"Stop talking." Natalie interrupted. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Yeah because you never told me." Henry shot back.

"Look, no it's okay I'll just cancel."

"No, c'mon I can order a pizza, and watch a few movies with her. Please, you don't have to pay me."

"Look, Henry…"

"Fine. Whatever, here I brought her skittles." Henry said angrily, pulling the candy out of his pocket. Natalie took it and sighed and then said,

"She can have them after dinner."

"Hm? What? Oh…I can watch her!" Henry cried, happily.

"Yes. But listen. You don't know anything about her or what happened, so you better not say anything."

"Fine." A car honked outside and Henry rolled his eyes.

"What?" Natalie asked.

"He doesn't even come to the door." Henry murmured. Natalie rolled her eyes.

"Alright, hold on." She put a hand up outside to show her date she needed a minute. "Jess!" She called, and Jessica emerged in her pajamas. "C'mere. You remember Henry." Natalie told her. Jessica nodded. "He's going to play with you while I go out." Natalie bent down and hugged her and kissed her cheek. "Okay?" Jessica nodded. "The pizza is actually on its way already." Natalie said to Henry. "If you're good, Henry was a special treat for you." Jessica smiled at Henry. "Alright, here let me put my number in your phone." Natalie put her contact in Henry's cell phone.

"Thanks." Henry said when she finished.

"Alright will you two be okay?" Natalie asked, nervously.

"Yeah." Henry said and Jessica nodded.

"You sure?" she asked Jessica.

"Yes." The little girl whispered. Natalie bent down and kissed and hugger her daughter one more time.

"Have fun, be good. I love you." She told her.

"I love you too." Jessica said quietly. Natalie stood up and looked at Henry.

"Do not make me regret this." She told him. He nodded.

"I've got it."

"We'll talk. About everything…later." She promised.

"Alright. Thank you…for being so nice." Henry said. "I appreciate it. Don't worry…we'll be fine here. Have fun."

"Thanks." And Natalie walked out, looking back nervously behind her as Henry shut the door.

"So." He said, turning to Jessica who gave him a small, shy smile.

"What do you want to do?" He asked. She shrugged.

"I don't know." And she blushed and Henry thought he was going to die of witnessing such cuteness. He smiled brightly and bent down to her level.

"You have pretty hair. Just like your Mom's." He told her. Jessica just smiled some more.

"You have a treat for me?" She asked.

"I do! But your Mom says we have to wait until you've had dinner first."

"Can you come color with me?" Jessica asked.

"Yeah sure! I love coloring." And Jessica held out her little hand, which Henry tentatively took and let her lead him to her bedroom. She took out a box of coloring books, blank paper, and crayons and led him back to the dining room where they sat down at the table and started coloring. Henry just drew a bunch of different colored smiley faces.

What else was he supposed to draw?

"Done!" Jessica cried after a few minutes.

"What'd you draw?" Henry asked.

"A heart, with mommy inside!" Henry gazed at the pink figure, finally getting how it sort of formed a heart, and saw 2 stick figures standing inside.

"Who's the other person?"

"That's her date! Chad!" Jessica exclaimed.

"Chad?" Henry asked.

"Yeah! And they're in a heart because they're going to fall in love and get married! And then his name won't be Chad anymore! Do you know what it will be?" She was getting really excited.

"What?" Henry asked, not following the girl.

"DADDY!" She yelled jumping off of her chair. Henry didn't know what to say.

"Oh." He said, noting how happy she seemed.

"Can we….?" She began to ask about another activity when the doorbell rang.

"That must be the pizza, hold on, kiddo." Henry stood up and got out his wallet and got the pizza. They ate, and then began watching a movie. Everything was going smoothly. Jessica was adorable, and polite, and funny, and smart and didn't cause any trouble.

And if Henry did say so himself, she seemed to like him. She even snuggled up to him while they watched the movie. When it ended she was asleep. Henry stood up and put his arms under her and picked her up, carrying to her bed.

"Mhmm." She groaned, beginning to stir as he tucked the blankets around her.

"Goodnight, Jessica." Henry whispered.

"Goodnight." She murmured and quickly fell back asleep. Henry went back out into the living room and cleaned up the coloring stuff, and then began to wash the dishes and clean up from dinner. The lock turned, and the door swung open and Natalie walked back inside.

"Where is she?"

"Asleep."

"Did everything go okay?" Natalie asked, walking over towards Henry.

"Yeah, it's fine. We had fun. I appreciate you, trusting me like that." Henry told her.

"Yeah, well." Natalie said as he continued washing dishes.

"How was your date?" Henry asked.

"Why should you care?" Natalie shot back, but calmed down and said "It was good." Henry nodded. "Why, jealous?" She asked him.

"No. Why?" Henry asked.

"Well you sort of seem like you might be." Natalie said, looking at him.

"Why would I be jealous?"

"You would be. If….if you still had feelings for me." Natalie said, beginning to help with the dishes.

"Well I don't. So I'm not jealous." Henry said firmly and Natalie felt her heart shatter. "It's not my business, but after we broke up. Did you date a lot? Have you dated a lot since she was born?"

"Not really too much. I only had like 1 or 2 serious relationships after you, and the longest one was only 9 months. It just got tough dating…with her. But I do every once in a while." There was a brief silence and Natalie asked "How about you? Do you date a lot?" Henry sighed.

"I did a lot after we broke up. Like, a lot. I just felt really lonely after you left and wasted a lot of time with silly girls. Only like 1 serious relationship. But it didn't work out, obviously." "Are things serious with this guy?" He asked.

"Chad? No…not yet. Why?"

"Jessica just, said something….seems to think you guys are getting married."

"Yeah, I don't date a lot anymore, well I don't tell her about it a lot anymore. She always gets disappointed in the end. She's quite the handful. Well behaved, but. It's tough being a 24 year old girl, and having a 4 year old girl to watch out for and trying to keep us both happy." Henry nodded. He wanted to know something but it wasn't his place. But he needed to know.

"Was I the last person, that it was really, really serious with?" Natalie sighed,

"Yes."

"Was I the last person that you…that you slept with?"

"Henry!" Natalie cried.

"Sorry. Sorry, I just…I'm sorry. I don't know why I asked." Natalie went back to the dishes and muttered,

"Yes."

"Yes?" Henry asked.

"YES! You're the last person I…slept with. Happy?" Natalie asked sarcastically.

"Kind of." Henry admitted. "That shows…what a good mom you are. Not getting into things too fast. That's good…for her and for you."

"Thanks" Natalie said. "Was I the last person you slept with?" She asked. Henry took a deep breath and said something slowly

"No." He looked a little regretful.

"Why don't you look happy about that?"

"I was never…irresponsible about that. Totally, but looking back I didn't really mean..it didn't mean what it should have meant with the other girls. I mean, they were all nice, great girls but, there wasn't anything there. Between us. Any of them." Natalie nodded. "I mean…" Henry continued. "Maybe it only happens once."

"What do you mean?" Natalie asked.

"Really being in love with someone. Maybe, you only get that once in your life. What we had. Maybe that's why the other girls seem so….don't mean much to me..because I'm looking for what we used to have and maybe it was so great, and we loved each other so much that I'm spoiled, and it will never happen again" He mused. Natalie didn't know what to say, but it didn't matter because Henry continued.

"But maybe it's good if I never feel that way about someone again. Because then I can never get hurt like that again." He said. "I loved you, Natalie. You know I did. More than anything in the world, I would have done anything to make you happy. I would have taken a bullet for you. You were my life, my world revolved around you. You were all I cared about and I loved you. So much" Natalie could see tears brimming in his eyes.

"And you kicked me out of your life. And I didn't even get a reason. For months I thought I had done something to you. You just left without me saying goodbye or thank you. I…it's killed me the past 4 years – not knowing where you were or if you were okay."

Henry now looked angry and Natalie could feel herself getting emotional as Henry's tears fell down his face. "I loved you, I loved you more than anything, more than I ever loved myself. And I thought you loved me too. But you killed me inside, when you left. I wanted to die. Nothing in the world could ever hurt the way that hurt me." Henry was about to continue when he saw Natalie crying too.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. Henry wrote down his phone number and gave it to her.

"We're talking about this. All of this. You told me you would, but I'm not ready right now. Call me."

And Henry walked out.

**Reviews?**


	4. Chapter 4: A Kiss Goodnight

"_**This is so fucking weird." Natalie whispered, cuddling closer to Henry on the blanket.**_

"_**Laying in the park, looking at the stars? It's supposed to be romantic!" Henry exclaimed.**_

"_**It's mushy." Natalie replied.**_

"_**So am I." Henry said back. Natalie smiled. **_

"_**Mhmm but you're not corny mushy…well…actually I take that back." They both laughed. Henry sat up and Natalie followed suit. Henry's hand held Natalie's face gently and he kissed her cheeky softly. **_

"_**You're the most beautiful girl in the world." He whispered. **_

"_**Shut up." She murmured, and Henry knew she was blushing, even in the dark. He chuckled softly and kissed her. **_

"_**You are." He insisted in between kisses. "I swear to God." He added. Natalie giggled. **_

"_**Oh am I?" **_

"_**Without a doubt. You're perfect." Natalie sighed. **_

"_**No…my life is. For once." She said and Henry laughed. "I'm serious!" She cried. **_

"_**And it's all thanks to you." She added, kissing him. **_

"_**Well I'd be nothing without you, Nat." Henry replied.**_

Henry shot up in bed and rubbed his eyes, remembering that night from when he and Natalie were in college. God how true his last words became as time went on after they broke up. Henry had gone through so much time feeling like he was nothing, and worth nothing, and had done something wrong.

He'd gone forever just wanting to end things. Everything. Henry checked the time and knew his alarm for work would just go off in 10 minutes anyway so he got up, got ready, went to work. And then got ready to go to Natalie's.

Henry and Natalie had decided, that he was going to come over the next night, after Jessica had fallen asleep and they would talk about everything. Everything.

Natalie told him to come around 8:30, and she would put Jessica to sleep early. Henry knocked on the door so he wouldn't wake her up. Natalie answered,

"What's that?" She asked. Henry was holding 2 bags.

"I brought dinner." He replied.

"Oh, wow. That's really nice." She said, taking a bag from him and letting him inside. They headed to the dining room.

"Did you already eat, with her?" Henry asked.

"Yeah…but…I can make room." Natalie said, smiling as they began opening the containers of take out Italian food. They got out plates and began eating and then started talking.

"So, I don't really know how to jump into this." Natalie finally said. "Or where to begin."

"I just don't get, why after all this time you never thought I deserved to know that I had a daughter." Henry replied.

"But…that's the thing. Alright. Listen, this is a long, complicated, sob story. And it's not easy to tell or think about living through. I just..just promise you'll stay calm." Natalie told him.

"I promise." Henry said.

"Okay, do you remember…a few weeks before we broke up…I got totally trashed at that party." Henry nodded.

"I had some huge test, and skipped it." He said. Natalie nodded,

"Right. So, I…do you remember that kid Dean Waters? I think he dated Michelle whatsername for a few months?" Natalie asked.

"Michelle Dadivi – yeah I can kind of picture him." Henry said. Natalie gulped,

"Well….after a few too many drinks for both of us..we were just you know with our friends! Just like dancing or whatever, and I don't even know how it happened. But. Him and I…ended up….in his dorm and…we…the next day we both agreed it didn't mean anything." Natalie was just rambling at this point. "That we were just friends, and it was some drunken mistake…."

"What was a drunken mistake?" Henry asked, his eyes filled with hurt. He knew what she was talking about but he almost needed to hear it to believe it.

"I…we..had sex." Natalie said, painfully. Henry nodded, pursing his lips, not wanting to yell. He shook his head. "Henry I…"

"So she's not mine?" He asked.

"Well, I'm not done yet." Natalie said. "I obviously felt really guilty…." Henry rolled his eyes. "I did! Henry I felt awful! You were my boyfriend, my best friend and I betrayed you and I felt horrible about myself and what I did."

"Yeah, you should have!" Henry yelled. "For the record I never once, not ONCE Natalie cheated on you, or lied to you, or broke a promise. I was yours 100%. And I was there for you, and I helped you get off the drugs, and get through the shit with your mom, I WAS THERE FOR YOU! I CARED ABOUT YOU, I LOVED YOU!" Henry was close to tears now as he yelled. A tear dripped down Natalie's face too.

"I know." She whispered. "And there are no excuses for what I did, but I was drunk, and you know, you KNOW I would have never done that if I were sober." Henry just looked at the ground. "And…a little while after that night…."

"After I heard you and your friends drunkenly screaming in the hallway downstairs and went down and carried you up, and tucked you into bed, and kissed you goodnight, and made you coffee and breakfast in the morning. So, a while after that." Henry said in an accusing tone that seemed to shoot Natalie in the heart. He had cared about her. So much.

"After that….I mean we did it a lot, but I thought that having sex with you again would make me feel better about doing something like that…something I'd always wanted to only be with you…with someone else. So, we did, and a few weeks later….."

Henry nodded, finally understanding.

"You found out you were pregnant." He finished for her.

"Yeah. And I didn't know whose it was. I wasn't going to tell you I was pregnant, make you think it was yours, and have you go your whole life thinking it was, if it wasn't. And I wouldn't be able to know until the baby was born. And I wasn't going to make you or him sit around waiting to find out…and then what Henry? It's yours and he's wasted 9 months? Or it's his and you wasted 9 months, and then you being the perfect, loyal, person that you were would insist on staying with me? You would have, you would have ended up wasting your whole life – for nothing. I wasn't going to do that. Not to you. So that's why I ended things. I would never put you through that. Never….so I broke up with you."

They looked at each other for a moment. "I broke up with you for you. Not for me. It was what was best for you, Henry. Because I loved you." Natalie said, crying.

"Why wouldn't you just tell me the truth? After all this time you never told me the truth. You ran off." Henry said, crying as well. "Without a trace, Nat! I had no way to find you. While I was battling depression after you left – I went through a month where I was convinced you had DIED!" Henry yelled. "You couldn't leave a note? Voicemail? Email? I think I deserved to know."

"You did. I'm sorry." Natalie sobbed.

"So, is she mine?" Henry asked.

"I…I don't know." Natalie said.

"What?"

"I…the only way to know is a genetics test…and neither of you were around for…that to happen."

Henry just glared at her in shock.

"She's 4 years old…and you still don't know. Don't you ever wonder?"

"Only every day."

"Where do you get one of those…genetic tests?" Henry asked.

"Doctors." Natalie muttered.

"Well, we're getting one." Henry said firmly, not asking but telling her. Natalie nodded.

"Because I deserve to know." Henry added. He moved his chair closer to hers. "And she deserves to know." Henry put his hand on top of Natalie's. "And you deserve to know."

Natalie nodded.

"Okay. I'll look into it." She said. Henry stood up.

"I think I'm going to go." He said. Natalie nodded again and stood up to walk him out. "But for the record, Natalie. As I've said before. My life revolved around you completely. And I loved it like that. You meant nothing short of everything to me, and I'd have done anything for you. You were…you are beautiful, and smart, and funny, and sweet, and generous…and perfect. And regardless – his, mine, or somebody else's – I would have stayed with you. I would have loved you, and the baby, no matter what. And I wish you would have told me the truth." Henry said. Natalie nodded.

"I'm sorry." She said quietly again.

"I'll talk to you later…."

"Mommy!" Jessica yelled, running into the room in her pajamas, crying and screaming. She ran into Natalie's legs.

"What's wrong?" Natalie asked calmly, as if it happened all the time, bending down to Jessica's height.

"M..m….monster." Jessica whispered in between sobs. Natalie sighed and took her daughter's hand.

"Jessica, I've told you. I promise. There's no monsters. They don't exist! I promise, I'd never lie to you. There's nothing to be scared of." Natalie stood up.

"Are you sure?" Jessica asked.

"I'm positive." Natalie told her.

"Henry?" Jessica whispered. Henry raised his eyebrows.

"Yes?"

"Do you believe in monsters?" She asked in her little voice.

"Of course not!" Henry exclaimed. "And trust me, your Mom doesn't know too much about monsters." Henry whispered. Jessica giggled. "But my uncle was a monstermonocologist. Do you know what that is?" Henry asked, bending down.

Jessica shook her head.

"It's a scientist who studies monsters. They studied for hundreds of years and finally decided that they didn't exist! And now my uncle doesn't have a job!" Henry exclaimed, smiling. Jessica giggled.

"Alright, now that it's been confirmed by a…"

"Monstermonocologist." Henry interrupted Natalie.

"That monsters aren't real." She continued. "Henry can go, and you can go back to bed. Say goodbye to Henry."

"Goodnight Henry!" Jessica exclaimed, jumping onto him, wrapping her tiny arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. Henry hugged her gently back.

"Goodnight, kiddo." He said. Jessica giggled and smiled brightly, and then as if things were moving in slow motion Natalie watched as Jessica turned her head, and gently kissed Henry on the cheek. Natalie watched his smiling face as they hugged, turn to a shocked, upset face. He then began to look scared, and just sad. Henry felt his heart pound as Jessica kissed him goodnight.

This little girl…this sweet, generous, adorable, smart little girl...might be his. Which excited and frightened him at the same time. But she might not be his…which frightened him even worse. And it made him angry.

"Bye!" Jessica cried, skipping off to her bedroom. Henry stood up. He was speechless. It was hitting him. Really hitting him, and he could feel himself getting emotional.

"I'll talk to you later." He said, quickly running out.

"Goodnight!" Natalie cried after him.

**Reviews? Thanks to everyone who has! I really appreciate all the nice things you say!**


	5. Chapter 5: Once and For All Part 1

Henry walked up the porch steps to Natalie's townhouse and knocked on the door. Natalie answered it,

"Hey…what are you doing here?" She asked.

"I thought we could drive together." Henry answered. A few days had gone by…and they were going to the doctor for a paternity test. To find out the truth. Once and for all.

"Oh." Natalie replied. "Well um, alright. I…just let me grab my stuff….come in." Henry walked in and waited as she gathered her keys and phone, and Jessica's hairbrush. They had talked to a doctor at the lab they were going to for it, and he said all they needed to find out if Jessica was Henry's was a couple of strands of both of their hair and 3 weeks of chemical testing to find out the results.

"Hold, on just let me go say goodbye to her and my sitter." And Natalie went into Jessica's room, where her and her babysitter were playing go fish. She said goodbye to both of them and then her and Henry walked outside and quietly into his car. Henry began driving and Natalie turned her head to the window.

"You look good, nice. Nice, you look nice…" Henry said nervously.

"Thanks…?" Natalie said, feeling a bit awkward

"So…" Henry said. "How you feeling? About all this." Natalie shrugged.

"I don't know."

"Well, do you want to find out?"

"Of course. I guess. It's just…I don't know what I want the result to be. And I feel like whichever result it is, I'm going to wish it were the other, you know? Like nobody can win." Henry nodded. "What about you? What do you want to happen?" Natalie asked. Henry sighed.

"I'm…neutral."

"C'mon. You've got to have an opinion! Just, what would you rather happen?"

"I don't know." Natalie sighed.

"3 weeks. Just 3 weeks of nothing but suspense." She murmured.

"And anxiety." Henry added. Natalie laughed.

"Oh, yeah."

"We just have to remember that everything happens for a reason." Henry told her. "What you did that night….you breaking up with me….running into each other in drug fair…and whatever the results are…it's all for a reason." Natalie nodded.

"I guess."

"Can I just ask…and…this might be getting too personal." Natalie gulped and Henry continued. "Did you ever…did other things ever cross your mind? When you found out you were pregnant. Did you ever want to, or think about….like adoption…or…or..?"

"Never. I mean, getting…getting an abortion was just – no. I decided from day one that I would never do that. Adoption…I mean…I didn't ever really think about it, or consider it. I don't know why." Henry nodded.

"So, what happened? After you left?"

"I went back home. Lived with my parents for a while. Got some jobs, went to Rutgers. And finally was able to move out, with her."

"Well, you finished school, earned money, and supported and raised an awesome little girl, so…it couldn't have been easy. But you did good." Henry said, smirking and Natalie laughed.

"Thanks."

"How was it? Like, being pregnant and when she was first born?" Natalie chuckled.

"What do you mean?"

"Like…was everything okay? Or was it hard? I have no idea what it's like!" Henry said, laughing too at the vagueness of his questions.

"Well….I mean my parents were there and they knew a lot. They helped me. They told me what to expect. But it was hard because being home and around them all the time, it reminded me of what happened to them. And the first few months…I was just scared to death all the time. That it would happen to her. That I would lose her like my mom lost my brother." She was starting to get emotional. "But I didn't." Natalie added, and smiled.

"Did it hurt? Like…pushing?" Henry asked and Natalie replied,

"Like. Fucking. Hell."

"I bet. Do you still talk to your parents a lot?"

"All the time." Natalie answered.

"How are they?"

"Alright."

"That's good. Tell them I say hey next time you see them, alright?"

"Sure."

"Thanks. Alright…here we are." They both sighed deeply and hesitated.

"Are we getting out?" Natalie finally asked.

"I will when you do." Henry said playfully. They both chuckled and unbuckled, and stepped out of the car. "Ready?" Henry asked.

"I guess." They looked at each other nervously,

"You alright? You look weird." Henry said, putting his hand on Natalie's shoulder.

"Yeah…I'm fine. Just nervous."

"Well we still have 3 weeks to be nervous so…" Henry said and Natalie smiled.

"Let's go." She said and they walked on inside. They talked to the doctor and he cut a few strands of Henry's hair and then took some hairs out of Jessica's brush, and put them both in bags and sent them off to "the lab".

And within just a few minutes – it was over! They walked outside together and stood awkwardly on the sidewalk. They were making small talk when Natalie got a text.

"Chad…" She muttered kind of to herself. Henry nodded,

"Are things serious with you two?" he asked.

"No…God no…not now…" She murmured as she texted back.

"So, he's not…your boyfriend?"

"No."

"So…Chad wouldn't mind if I took you out to lunch right now?" Natalie finished the text and looked up at Henry,

"No…he wouldn't." She said, smiling "But, you don't have to…I mean…."

"No, I'm starving. And I hate eating at restaurants alone, and there's no food out my house." He said, playfully pouting and Natalie laughed.

"Alright, let's just go to a diner or something, something quick."

"Alright, let's go." And they hopped in the car. They got to the diner and got seated and ordered and then began talking.

"So, what's going on in your life?" Natalie asked.

"This." Henry replied, smiling. "And work. Shitty work…."

"You said the other day…music store?" Natalie asked. Henry nodded.

"How about you?"

"I'm half managing half piano teaching at this music and performing arts school. So I like play for all their shows and shit, and teach, and then I deal with scheduling and people signing up and stuff."

"Sounds more fun than my job." Henry replied.

"Not as fun as it sounds." Natalie said. "So..you just like took off to the city? And why didn't you stay?"

"Yeah, I did some shit there." Natalie laughed. "I uh interned and helped write some music for these two guys, they're like writing a bunch of musicals, hoping one will hit Broadway. I actually think they're up in Massachusetts with one now, testing the waters with it. That was really fun, but I went um and well I finished college at NYU, and I music directed at a night club, and taught piano lessons, but um…I really don't know how or why I ended up here. Doing this. Living like this." Henry mused.

"Me either." Natalie whispered. "Certainly not the life I expected to have at 24."

Henry nodded. "Me either."

"But I just have to say, that you've gone through a lot more than me…and came out not only with you turning out pretty well, but an adorable daughter whose turning out pretty wonderfully."

"Thanks." Natalie said. "But you went through a lot too. You talked about…depression? After we broke up?" Henry nodded.

"It didn't last very long. I just…I didn't get it. You never gave me a reason, and all I could do all day was wonder, you know? And I was just angry with you and myself, and I felt guilty and obviously sad and lonely. I mean – you'd been in my life since high school and then like bam your were gone."

"So what happened?" Natalie asked.

"Well I went through that stage of thinking something had happened to you, and then I tried to find you and like legit almost hired a private investigator to find you and I'm not even kidding. My brother tried to take me to a therapist but then I realized how bad I had gotten and I stopped thinking like that. I wanted to rebel against everything you had meant to me, and you always hated me smoking so I went back on pot, and it helped temporarily. And some other shit and then…."

"What do you mean other shit?" Natalie asked cautiously. Henry sighed.

"Drugs."

"Like what?" Henry took in a deep breath, closed his eyes and said quietly.

"Heroin." Natalie gasped. "Cocaine." He added and Natalie just looked at him horrified. "But that didn't last long either – and I'm off – totally off, for over a year, I swear Natalie. I wouldn't lie about that, not to you, not…especially not under these circumstances. Please, believe me." Henry begged.

"I do." Natalie said. "I believe you, and I guess it was my fault you went to it anyway."

Henry didn't know what to say – she was right – it was her fault. All her fault. Nothing, except for losing her could ever hurt him enough to put him through that.

"I'm sorry. I'm sure I would have gone down the same path if the roles had been reversed. And I really feel bad." Natalie admitted. Henry shook his head.

"It's alright."

"Things were so complicated in high school, and then so perfect in college, and then…all downhill I guess." Natalie commented.

"Things really were great in college." Henry added. "Like, really great."

"Mhmm we just like had fun. Me and you. And we still kept are grades up and worked at careers, but we were together and just let loose and stopped worrying." Natalie said. "You used to just like drive me places randomly – do you remember that? You would just be like 'let's go to the beach' and there was nothing to worry about we just hopped in the car and went. I loved it like that."

"Well I figured you would get bored of dinner dates all the time. Although I knew how much you hated surprises. Remember how we tried to throw you a surprise party that one time and nobody would tell you anything and you like flipped a shit and then someone finally just told you we were planning a surprise party? That was rich. You ruined your own birthday!" Henry exclaimed, laughing.

"I hate surprises!" Natalie admitted. "And if I do remember correctly you and I went out and had a much better time celebrating my birthday than I would have had partying with a bunch of drunk kids." Henry smiled.

They got their food and ate and kept talking a little bit more about college, and high school.

"Ready to go?" Henry asked.

"Yeah." They split the check – Natalie insisted and then hopped in the car to drive home.

"Alright, see you in 3 weeks I guess." Henry said.

"Um, yeah I guess." Natalie said, unbuckling. "Do you want come inside and say hi?" She asked.

"Uh, sure." They both got out and headed into the house where they were both greeted by a hyper Jessica. After quickly hugging her mom she practically jumped into Henry's arms and squealed his name. He lifted her up and ruffled her hair.

"How are you?" he asked.

"Good." She said, smiling and leaning her head on his shoulder. Natalie smiled and greeted the babysitter, a teenage girl from the neighborhood, and talked to her for a little bit.

"Did you guys have fun?" Henry asked and Jessica nodded. "Were you a good girl?"

"I'm ALWAYS a good girl, Henry." Jessica exclaimed, and then winked. Henry laughed.

"You're always a funny girl too." He said, putting her down and beginning to tickle her. She shrieked with laughter. Natalie paid the babysitter and quickly introduced Henry to her, and then she left.

"Alright, I think I should be heading out." Henry said.

"Wait! Can't you stay and play?" Jessica pleaded.

"I don't think so, I'm sorry."

"Just one game of go fish! Pretty please! Pretty, pretty, pretty please!" Jessica begged.

"Well…." Henry looked up at Natalie who held up one finger with a firm look on her face. "Alright – but only one game." Henry replied. Jessica jumped up and yelled

"Yes!"

"But only one, no more…."

"I understand!" Jessica said, sassily and Henry and Natalie both chuckled at the "duh" tone in her voice. Jessica led Henry into her bedroom and he made sure that she won, and then got up to go.

As he did he realized that this could be the last time he saw Jessica, if she wasn't his. In 3 weeks they would find out, and if he wasn't her father then he really had no business being around Natalie and her anymore – and maybe Natalie wouldn't let him see her again.

"Give me a hug, kiddo." Henry said and Jessica happily wrapped her arms around him. He carried her out to the living room and put his shoes on, still holding her. "Okay, it was good to see you." He said, putting her down.

"I wish you could play longer." Jessica said, pouting.

"Me too, but I have to go somewhere." He bent down and gave her one last hug, and once again she put her lips against his cheek, which had the same effect on him it did the last time – it just melted his heart. She pulled away and whispered

"Fuzzy!"

"Yeah, I need to shave." Henry replied and chuckled. Jessica ran her hand against his cheek.

"It feels funny!" She exclaimed, giggling. Henry just smiled,

"See you soon." He said, and this time he kissed her cheek. Her tiny, warm, soft cheek.

"Call me, if you need anything." He said to Natalie, who nodded. Henry kind of awkwardly held his arms out and Natalie hesitantly walked into the hug, and gently patted his back.

"Bye." She said.

**Reviews? Thanks for all the great ones so far! Much appreciated! **


	6. Chapter 6: A Phone Call

A week had gone by and both Henry and Natalie had just continued living their lives, waiting for the day to come for them to go back to the lab. Natalie put Jessica to bed, and then stayed up a while paying some bills and doing some work. She stayed up pretty late, and then all of a sudden her heart stopped.

She didn't know why but Natalie immediately began to worry. She ran into Jessica's room and made sure she was alright. She didn't know what else could be wrong, but something most definitely was. Natalie tried to ignore it and went to bed but was awoken by a phone call.

Henry got home from going out and hanging with some friends from work, and it was pretty late. He took a shower and then went to bed. A week had gone by and every second Henry felt himself tempted to call Natalie, or text her just to make sure everything was okay.

He didn't know why, but he had this horrible gut feeling that something was wrong. At about one in the morning he woke up and began thinking, what could be wrong? Henry didn't know what but something just wasn't right and he began to worry.

But eventually he fell back asleep, until about 2:30 am, when he was awoken by his phone ringing.

The caller I.D. said it was Natalie.

"Nat!" He exclaimed, but all he could hear on the other end was bawling. "What's wrong?" He cried.

"H..H..Henry." Was all Natalie could muster out before bursting into more sobs.

**Cliffhanger :D **


	7. Chapter 7: Friendly Comforting

"Natalie? Natalie!" Henry cried, sitting up. She just kept crying, he could tell she was trying to talk but couldn't get anything out. "Shh…okay hold on. Calm down, take a deep breath." He cooed.

Natalie was quiet for a moment so Henry asked "What's going on?" Natalie began crying again but murmured

"My Dad."

"What happened to him?"

"No..No..he called…..my…my..my Mom." She stuttered through her tears.

"Something happened with your mom?" Henry asked and Natalie burst back into sobs.

"Yes." He heard her whisper.

"I thought she was doing alright?" Henry asked.

"She was!" Natalie yelled, crying harder.

"Okay, okay. Shh..Natalie calm down. Just try to stay calm, take deep breaths, get yourself some water, I'm going to come over? Okay I'll see you in 5 minutes, just calm down, okay?"

"Mhmm." Natalie mumbled.

"Alright, see you soon." Henry said and hung up. He threw on some sweat pants over his boxers and a t-shirt. He ruffled his hair in the mirror and put on a sweatshirt, grabbed his phone and keys and drove to Natalie's.

He could see her bedroom light was on. He knocked on the door and she answered, looking exhausted, destroyed, and like all 24 years of her life had been spent sobbing.

"Whoa." He murmured, quickly hugging her and shutting the door. She clung tightly to his t-shirt and cried. "Shh…" He said, rubbing her back. "Come sit down." They walked back into Natalie's room and sat down on the bed, where she leaned into him and cried as he stroked her hair.

"Calm down, it's okay. Shh." He said. Natalie sat up and whispered in between her sobs,

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I called you..I just….someone…I needed….I just…I'm sorry, nobody else would…would understand."

"It's okay, Nat, what happened?"

"She was doing fine, they've even had her off meds for a few months and she was doing fine, but she just…yesterday was Gabe's birthday and she just…tried to…kill herself again."

"Oh my God. Nat, I'm so sorry." Henry hugged her and she cried some more. An hour later and they remained sitting on the bed together, her just sobbing uncontrollably, and Henry rubbing her back and trying to calm her down.

"She just…she did this to me..puts me through this and I'll never put Jessica through it. Never. And she did this to my dad, and to me, and now Jessica's going to grow up with her acting like this too and…" Natalie just kept on crying and Henry leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead.

"Shh."

"I hate her, I hate her so much." Natalie cried, tears flowing.

"You don't mean that. No parents are perfect, but she tries and she loves you." Natalie was shaking and Henry didn't know if he should do it.

But..she was feeling unloved, and this was all that he could remember making her feel better all those years ago when this happened. As she cried and he tried to quiet her down for Jessica's sake, he touched her cheek gently, leaned in and ever so softly pressed his lips to hers.

Nothing had ever felt so perfect. Her shaking stopped, and she was calm for a single moment until Henry pulled away and she broke back into hysterics, crying into his chest.

It went on all night, he would just kiss her head, or her cheek, and once or twice more her lips and she would calm down for a moment. But when he wasn't she was just crazy crying and he wished he could do more to make it better. He just kept holding her, and eventually probably out of exhaustion she began to settle down.

Henry kissed her longer this time, still carefully but it lasted a couple of seconds, and then laid her head on the pillow and tucked her under the covers and watched her fall asleep, still sniffling every once in a while.

Eventually his exhaustion overtook him and a couple hours later he woke up in Natalie's bed, to the sound of her and Jessica in the kitchen. Oh, how he longed to wake up to that sound every morning of his life. He crawled out of the bed and walked out into the kitchen.

"Henry! Mommy says you guys had a slumber party last night!" Jessica exclaimed happily. Henry looked at Natalie who gave him the "it's all I could fucking think of" look. Henry nodded.

"Yeah we did! And we watched scary movies, and your mom was screaming like a little girl." Henry teased, and Jessica laughed. He loved the sound of her laugh.

"Mommy did you!" Natalie nodded. "We're making pancakes, you can have some!" Jessica said.

"Great." Henry replied, and looked at Natalie who signaled him over to the counter where she was cooking. Jessica was coloring at the table. Henry walked over to Natalie.

"Are you alright?" He asked quietly. She shrugged.

"I…I don't remember you coming over last night, I just woke up..and you were here. But I think I called you but, all I remember is my Dad's phone call and really just the rest of the night I was such a mess, I can't remember anything." She admitted.

"Oh, well yeah you called me. You were….a mess." Henry said, trying to keep it light. "So I came over, and stayed with you and I just tried to calm you down."

"Was I really bad?" Natalie asked. Henry sighed,

"To be honest – I've never seen you like that." "He replied.

"I'm sorry." Natalie whispered.

"No it's okay, I don't mind cuddling." Henry teased. Natalie smiled,

"We cuddled?"

"It's the only thing that used to calm you down." Henry told her.

"That's all that happened, right?" Natalie asked.

"Well…" Henry murmured.

"What?" She asked. She was just nervous, because although she never would ever think that Henry would take advantage of her, I mean…they HAD woken up in bed together.

"I…just a few kisses."

"What?" Natalie cried.

"I kissed you, a few times…to calm you down. It did."

"What do you mean you kissed me?" Natalie asked, not quite…on the lips? She wondered. Henry saw that Jessica had gone into her room so he quickly said,

"Yeah – kiss. Like this." He said, knowing he was taking a huge risk, and he leaned in and kissed Natalie quickly on the lips again.

Her jaw dropped but before she could say anything Jessica skipped back in and the pancakes were ready. Natalie was just in shock. Henry couldn't believe he had the balls to do that. Natalie's phone rung and she walked into the other room to pick it up. Henry put some pancakes on plates and set the table and sat down with Jessica.

"It's probably Chad. She never talks to him on the phone in front of me." She explained.

"Is that right?" Henry replied and Natalie walked back in.

"It's my Dad. Henry, do you think that you could watch her today? I'm going to the hospital. I know you probably have plans but…."

"No, it's fine. But don't you want her to come?" Natalie shook her head.

"I mean, I do, and my Dad does…but I think I'll just get too…I don't want her to see me…the way I was last night." She explained. Henry nodded.

"Well, I mean if it's okay with everyone I could come, and me and her can go off somewhere if you get too…you know. I'm sure your Mom really wants to see her."

"Yeah, she does. And it's fine..just you need to be aware of when I'm going to…you know? I can't have her go through that – watching me go through it." Henry completely understood.

"That's fine." And they all finished eating and then Henry ran home to shower and they decided to meet at the hospital. They silently walked up to her room together, and Natalie knocked on the door.

"Coming!" She heard her Dad call, and he opened the door and walked outside, shutting it behind him. "Hey." He said gently to his daughter, hugging and kissing her. "I'm sorry, I should have wait until morning to call. You must have been up all night, look at you." He said.

"Thanks Dad." Natalie said sarcastically.

"Oh, no you look beautiful sweetheart I just…."

"It's okay, Dad." She said.

"And here's my little princess!" Dan exclaimed, picking Jessica up who squealed happily.

"Grandpa!" She cried. He kissed her.

"How are you?"

"Alright."

"Something's wrong. What is it?" Dan asked.

"I don't like hospitals." Jessica explained.

"Oh, well we won't keep you here too long, okay?" Jessica nodded and Dan put her down. "And I don't believe it." Dan said, looking at Henry. "I know I'm a Grandpa, but please tell me it's not just me and that Henry is actually in front of me." He teased.

"Yeah." Henry murmured. "What's up, Mr. G?" He asked.

"What's up?" Dan asked. "That's all I get. C'mere kid."

"Dad, please stop." Natalie begged as Dan tightly hugged Henry.

"What! I loved this kid, always thought he was perfect for you. I haven't seen you in…God 4 years." He said.

"Yeah, it's good to see you." Henry replied.

"You too, how've you been?"

"Alright." Henry answered.

"Well, um, Nat your Mom's excited to see you, so um the 3 of us will just hang out here." Natalie nodded and went inside while Henry, Jessica, and Dan sat down on a waiting couch in the hallway.

"Grandpa?" Jessica asked.

"Yeah?"

"How do you know Henry?" Jessica asked.

"Well a very long time ago, your mom and Henry loved each other very much." Dan explained and Henry cringed.

"What!" Jessica cried. "You and Mommy were IN LOVE!" She asked Henry loudly. He sighed and nodded.

"A very long time ago."

"How long?"

"4 years ago." Jessica gasped.

"Henry guess what!"

"What?"

"I'm 4 years old! What a…what a…co-….co-inc-. What a coin…sid…."

"Coincidence?" Dan asked.

"Yeah, that!" Jessica exclaimed. Henry and Dan both chuckled.

"So…what brings you back around?" Dan asked Henry.

"Nat, and I ran into each other in town. And….I made quite the discovery." Henry said, pointing at Jessica.

"Yeah, God. All that drama, seems like just yesterday." Dan said. "So, she is….you know..you are her…?"

"We don't know yet. Paternity test results come back in 2 weeks."

"That's got to be nerve-wracking." Dan said, smiling sympathetically. Henry nodded.

"You're doing alright?" Dan asked.

"Yeah, yeah. I've been worse." Henry said, cracking a smile. Dan gave him a confused look.

"Just…a phase…" He said, being careful how to word things around Jessica, "I went through after, all that stuff in college." Dan seemed to understand perfectly, and he nodded and asked,

"But now?"

"Better. A lot better." They continued talking as Diana and Natalie spoke in the hospital room.

"I know I've let you down." Diana whispered.

"It's not your fault." Natalie replied quietly.

"I still feel bad. I know that we were all just starting to hope that…."

"Mom, stop. Please. It's fine."

"It's not! I ruined your childhood, and your teenage years and then you grew up and things were better, and I just went and ruined it. Things were finally starting to make sense! And now I'm ruining your adulthood, and I'll end up ruining her childhood too!" Diana cried, tears beginning to fall. 

"Mom, just…." But Natalie burst into tears too and ran out of the room and sprinted down the hallway.

"Whoa." Henry exclaimed.

"I would go get her, but you seem to be better with than me." Dan said. "I'll watch Jessica." Henry nodded and ran after Natalie.

"Nat!" He called, and she ran outside and sat down on a bench and let herself cry. He sat down beside her and put his arm around her. He didn't real know what to say so he just let her cry. Finally she stopped.

"Better?" Henry asked and she nodded.

"I'm just going to take a walk, can you bring her in to see my mom?" Natalie asked.

"Sure, you sure you'll be alright?" Natalie nodded.

"Thanks." She said and they parted ways. Henry walked back to the waiting area.

"Jessica, you want to go in and see your Grandma?" Henry asked. Jessica nodded and took Henry's hand and he opened the door.

"Grandma!" Jessica cried, running and jumping onto Diana's bed, into her arms.

"Jessica, sweetheart. Oh, how are you?"

"Not so good." Jessica said.

"Oh and why is that?" Diana asked.

"I don't like hospitals." Jessica said again. Diana looked to Henry.

"But, hospitals make everything better, kiddo." Henry told her.

"But if there's something to make better, that means something's wrong. You only come to hospitals if there's something wrong." Jessica whispered. Diana stroked her granddaughters' hair.

"Well, I came to the hospital because of something good." She said.

"What?" Jessica asked.

"To have your Mom. And your Mom came to a hospital to have you!" Jessica pondered this,

"And that's a good thing?" She asked.

"Of course! You make your mom happier than anything in the world." Diana said.

"Does she make you happy?" Jessica asked.

"Everyday." Diana replied. "And, Henry? Long time no see." Diana said, finally acknowledging him.

"Yeah, how are you?" Henry asked.

"Not my best, obviously. You?"

"Alright."

"That's good." Diana said, and then she got this hazy look on her face, like she was thinking really hard.

"I'm ready to go Henry." Jessica said.

"Don't you want to talk to Grandma a little longer?" Henry asked.

"I do…but I really don't like hospitals." Henry nodded, remembering how much Natalie hated them even as a teenager.

"Well, you guys have fun today. Tell Nat I said goodbye, I don't think she's coming back." Diana said. Henry nodded and lifted Jessica up. "Take care of yourself Henry…and of those two." Diana told him.

"Will do. Feel better."

"I love you Grandma!"

"I love you too, Jessica." And Henry walked out.

"Alright, Mr. G we're heading out." Dan stood up and kissed Jessica goodbye, and shook hands with Henry and then Henry left, called Natalie and they met up at their cars and drove home. And so many memories came flooding back to Henry. The first time he had seen Mrs. Goodman in a hospital – the first time she tried to kill herself, back in high school.

He remembered Natalie storming out and screaming at him – asking why the hell he stayed around with her. Henry found himself asking this question now.

Why was he hanging around them so much?

Taking care of them?

Why had he become so attached to them?

Henry met up with them at the house, and quickly hugged Jessica goodbye. He leaned in to hug Natalie but she pulled away and looked at the ground.

"Thanks." Was all she said. Henry nodded and walked out.

**Reviews?**

**Hehe you still don't know who the father is yet :D **

**Thanks for the reviews and Henry shaped cookies guys!**


	8. Chapter 8: Daddy

**Sorry for the wait! I have this story all planned out but I decided to change up my plans a little bit so I had to re-write this chapter! Hope it's worth it! Thank you all so, so, SO much for all of the reviews! They mean so much to me :D **

Another week had gone by, which meant just another week until Henry and Natalie found out the results of the test. They hadn't spoken since the day at the hospital, but Natalie was supposed to call him when she got the call that the results were in. But Henry called her first, but she was in the shower so he left a voicemail.

"Hey, Nat. Um, it's me…Henry. So uh, there's this big jazz concert coming to town Friday night, supposed to be like incredible. So, I was wondering if you were getting sick of teaching brats Mozart, because if you are, then I'd like you to come. We haven't seen each other in 4 years, so you obviously haven't heard good jazz in 4 years."

He joked.

"So, if you can get a babysitter and can come, let me know, if not that's, it's fine but yeah. So, uh tell Jessica I said hey, and I'll talk to you soon, have a good night."

Natalie listened to it and sighed.

"_Did he just ask me out? On a date?" _She wondered. While Henry sat home.

"_Did I just invite her, to go on a date with me?" _Neither of them were sure of what the invitation had meant but Natalie called up her babysitter and called Henry back.

"Hey!" He exclaimed.

"Hi, so um, I'm sorry but my babysitter can't watch her Friday. I'm sorry, I'd love to go, you're right I really haven't heard much jazz." She giggled. "But, I'm sorry." Henry sighed.

"It's alright. Don't worry about it." Natalie was disappointed that she couldn't go, and she could tell Henry sounded a little upset too.

"Hey, why don't you come over Friday night? Hang out?" She offered.

"Um, well I'd like that but I was kind of planning on going…um…"

"Oh you're going to the concert, duh. Yeah, don't let me ruin your plans, I'm sure you'll have fun."

"Yeah, thanks for asking though."

"Mhmm." Natalie did not like at all how polite and unnatural the conversation was.

"Alright, um, well call me if you need to." Henry said.

"Right, yeah, okay….bye."

"Bye." Henry slammed the phone down and sighed. "Fuck." He murmured, not quite sure understanding why he was so mad. Did he like Natalie? Like ,like? He wasn't sure.

In fact he was totally clueless. As always.

Friday came pretty quickly and Henry had decided not to go to the concert. He was pacing in his apartment, wondering if her offer to hang out was still standing.

"_If I go should I call first? Or surprise them, bring dinner? Or, wait Nat hates surprises…."_

He didn't know what to do so he finally decided to go to one of the restaurants at the mall, grab some take out, and bring it over to them. Once Henry got to the mall he went inside and was headed towards the Olive Garden to order food when he saw a familiar little girl running through the mall.

Her mother…..and some tall blonde guy beside her.

"Chad." Henry murmured, pretty angrily. Chad and Natalie were walking next to each other, talking while Jessica peered in all the store windows.

"_She already introduced Chad to Jessica?" Wait..well she let me babysit her after no time at all…but still…"_ Henry prayed that neither Natalie or Jessica would spot him as he continued to spy.

He watched as Chad put his hand through Natalie's and then leaned and…kissed her.

"Bastard." Henry murmured, feeling a surge of anger and jealousy. Henry felt sick to his stomach, and continued to ponder. He watched them head out to the parking lot, so he figured they'd be home by the time the food was ready and he got there.

But what if Chad was there? Well, if Jessica was his daughter he at least deserved to meet this guy if he would be hanging around her. Henry ordered the food and waited for it and then drove to Natalie's apartment, took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

Natalie opened it and grinned.

"Hey." He said.

"Hey," Henry smiled back. "I was just wondering if your offer to hang out still stands?"

"Definitely." Natalie replied, letting him in. Henry peered around, no Chad in site.

"Jess!" Natalie cried and Jessica came out of her room. "You brought food, wow." Natalie said. Henry nodded. "Thanks." Natalie took the bags from him while Jessica skipped over.

"Hi, Henry." She murmured, grinning.

"Hey." Henry said.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Just came to play with you guys!"

"Will you come play My Little Pony with me?" Henry sighed.

"Sure." He said, and Jessica grabbed his hand and pulled him into her bedroom. Natalie smiled, unsure why she was so happy – she hated surprises – but then again she had sort of been hoping..and sort of expecting that Henry would show up.

"So what did you guys do today?" Henry asked, holding a purple my Little Pony in his hand while Jessica had hers "ride" all the way around the "barn".

"We went to the mall with Chad!"

"Oh, really?" Henry asked.

"Mhmm. I'd never met him before. He was nice!"

"That's good," Henry said sadly.

"But Mommy said that he can't be our friend anymore. She said it just wasn't working out." Henry smirked.

"Oh, that's too bad. But sometimes that happens." Jessica sighed heavily, but then smiled

"I hope that NEVER EVER , EVER happens to us, Henry!" Jessica cried, jumping into his arms. Henry chuckled.

"Me either," and then he started to feel really upset – in a week that COULD happen to them.

Jessica began riding her pony up and down Henry's arms, he just smiled. Natalie came in, grinning as well, holding something behind her back.

"Henry where's your pony?" Natalie asked. Henry picked it up off the floor and smiled like a little kid, Natalie quickly pulled the mystery object out and a flash went off and before Henry could realize what happened Jessica yelled

"Smile you're on candid camera!" Jessica and Natalie both laughed, as they looked at the photo on the camera screen.

"Delete it." Henry said. Natalie smirked and shook her head. "Now." Henry demanded.

"Oh no." Henry leapt towards Natalie and she shrieked and ran into the living room. He ran chasing after, both of them cracking up.

"Delete it!" Henry cried and Jessica followed, giggling. Finally Henry caught Natalie from behind and gently shook her back and forth.

"Get rid of it." She broke free and then turned the camera off and went to put it away.

"Did you delete it?" Henry asked.

"No!" She exclaimed. Henry sighed.

"I don't like taking pictures either but Mommy says I'll be happy she took them when I'm older." Jessica told Henry.

"I guess she's right." They all sat down and had dinner and then Henry and Jessica walked to the nearby park and played while Natalie cleaned up. They came back and Jessica and Henry played video games.

Natalie couldn't help but giggle at what a child Henry was. They had ice pops for dessert and then sat down on the couch to watch a few episodes of Jessica's favorite show, The Brady Bunch, before Natalie finally said the dreaded words

"Alright, it's bath time."

"NOOOOO!" Jessica wailed. Natalie sighed, Henry could tell they went through this every night.

"Yes, bath and then bed." Natalie said, shutting off the TV and getting up.

"I'm going to head out." Henry said, getting up as well.

"Wait!" Jessica grabbed Henry's hand. "Can Henry please, please, please stay and help with my bath?" Natalie sighed.

"Ask Henry." She finally replied.

"Pretty, pretty please! You can play with the dinosaurs I play with." Jessica cried.

"Um, um…."

"Sweetie he probably has somewhere to go."

"No! No, um, no sure I can." Henry told both of them.

"YEAH!" Jessica exclaimed. Natalie chuckled.

"You might not want to do that. That nice shirt of yours might just get a teeny bit wet." She warned, smirking teasingly. Henry raised his eyebrows. "Someone likes to break the rules and splash." Natalie explained.

"Only sometimes!" Jessica insisted. Henry smiled,

"I'm sure I can endure a little bit of water." He replied.

"Okay." Natalie smirked. "Well I'm going to get changed into something more suitable for bath time, and get Jessica's clothes. You two can go get the water started and put bubbles in." She told them.

Henry nodded, slightly frightened and followed Jessica into the bathroom. He turned on the water and filled it with bubble soap and then Jessica tossed of her clothes and jumped in – getting Henry soaked.

"Are you okay?" He asked her, her landing sounded like it hurt.

"Yup!" She exclaimed happily. "My bath toys are in the cabinet." She explained and Henry pulled out a basket of bath toys and she began picking out toys and playing with them. He smiled.

Natalie walked in, her hair in a pony tail, in plaid pajama pants and a tank top.

"Is bath time really that bad?" Henry teased.

"Oh, we're just getting started."

Natalie said, sitting down next to him on the bathroom floor. Jessica offered him a plastic boat and they both played together while Natalie washed Jessica's hair and then just leaned back against the cabinet and watched them play, unable to wipe the grin off of her face.

Henry added some sound effects as he "drove" a boat around in the tub

"Whrrrrrr…." He groaned, and then had the ship "crash" into Jessica's stomach. "Boom!" He yelled.

"Ah!" Jessica shrieked with joy and shifted in the tub, throwing her hands up. Water splashed all over Henry. Natalie laughed.

"That tickled!" Jessica exclaimed.

"Oh, you're ticklish?" Henry teased, wiggling his fingers in a threatening way.

"No." Jessica lied, smirking. Henry drove his fingers into her sides making her shriek with laughter.

"For someone whose not ticklish you're giggling a lot!" Henry told her. Natalie got the comb and began brushing Jessica's hair as her and Henry continued to play. Henry put a pile of white bath bubbles in his hand and quickly swiped it under Natalie's chin.

"Santa!" He exclaimed happily. Jessica wailed with laugher while Natalie glared at Henry. She took her own handful of bubbles and put them on top of his head.

Jessica put bubbles in her hand and blew them at both Natalie and Henry. They all laughed.

"Alright, I think that's enough. You – out." Natalie said, lifting Jessica out of the tub. Henry stood up and Natalie wrapped Jessica up in a towel. "You want me to sing?" Natalie asked.

"Can Henry!" Jessica asked excitedly.

"Hm?" Henry asked.

"Henry is just your man tonight, isn't he?" Natalie asked her daughter. Natalie looked up at Henry,

"After her bath, she sits on my lap and I sing 'You Are My Sunshine'….my parents used to do it to me, it's dorky, but…"

"That's cute." Henry interrupted, grinning.

"Please can you sing to me Henry!" Jessica begged, shivering in the towel.

"I'm not a very good singer." Henry admitted. Jessica pouted,

"Please?" Henry nodded.

"Alright." He whispered and Jessica grinned. Henry sat down on the toilet and lifted Jessica into his lap.

Natalie saw a distant look in Henry's eyes as he stared at the wall, he almost looked scared.

"Do you know the words?" Jessica asked. Henry looked down at her and in the new angle Natalie could see tears forming in the bottom of his eyes.

She could only imagine how hard this was for him. Spending so much time with this little girl he obviously cared about – and it may not even be worth it. She may not be his. Natalie wondered why he kept coming around and putting himself through things that obviously hurt him….she wondered how he felt about _her._

Henry nodded to silently answer Jessica's question. He felt his throat get dry but he tried to murmur out the words quietly,

"_You are my sunshine…"_

Jessica leaned her head against Henry's chest and closed her eyes.

"_My only sunshine."_

Henry's voice cracked and he closed his eyes too. Natalie smiled sadly.

"_You make me happy, when skies are grey."_

Natalie giggled under her breath. Henry looked up at her, and she watched one tear fall from his eye.

"_You'll never no dear."_ Henry squeezed Jessica and rested his lips against the top of her head.

"_How much…"_

and then kissed her cheek,

"_I love you."_

Natalie quickly wiped a tear that fell from her eye. Henry held Jessica tighter, wanting to hold her forever and protect her from everything,

"_Please don't take…."_

Henry stared into space as he finished the song, almost begging that she never be taken away from him,

"_My sunshine away."_

Jessica looked up at him,

"Are you crying Henry?" She asked.

"No." He said, wiping his cheeks.

"You're a nice singer." She said quietly. Henry hugged her and she squeezed him tightly back and ran her hands on his cheeks.

"It's not fuzzy anymore." She told him.

"I shaved." He said and chuckled. Natalie giggled,

"Alright, um Jess, get dressed." Natalie said and gestured for Henry to go to the living room with her.

He followed and shut the door behind him so Jessica could get changed.

"I didn't know you could sing." Natalie joked.

"Shut up." Henry muttered.

"No, really that was sweet…"

"It was hard." Henry interrupted, gazing at the ground. Natalie could tell he was thinking.

"You really care about her." She mused.

"Duh." Henry replied. Jessica came out, and Natalie said,

"Alright, time for bed."

"Can't Henry and I play some more?" Jessica asked.

"No, it's already passed your bedtime, let's go." Natalie said, beginning to lead the way to her daughter's bedroom. Jessica ran past Natalie and hugged Henry around the legs.

"Goodnight, Henry." She said. Henry bent down to her height and smiled gently.

"Sleep tight, okay, kiddo?" He said and hugged her tightly. She squeezed him back.

"I love you." Jessica whispered. Natalie watched Henry's face look scared again.

And then she saw pain, she watched him fight off tears and squeeze her daughter closer to his body. Henry's eyes filled with hurt, and hope, and want, and pain, and fear, and sadness.

Henry put his face against the little girl's cheek and whispered, his voice cracking

"I love you too."

Jessica smiled and then skipped off to bed.

"Don't go anywhere." Natalie said to Henry and went in to tuck Jessica in. Henry stood up and began to cry harder so he sat down, trying to calm himself down. He held his head in his hands and Natalie walked back in.

"Are you alright?" She asked. Henry nodded. "Powerful 3 words." She mused.

"Yeah." Natalie sat down next to him.

"I just…don't believe…" Natalie began talking,

"You don't even know how many babysitters, and relatives have tried singing to her after her bath. Even my Dad, I mean….I'm the only person she's ever let do it. Like she freaks out when other people try it…except you. She….I just. You're the only other one she's let do it."

Natalie mused, staring into space, deep in thought.

"Oh." Was all Henry said, and couldn't stop thinking about how attached he was to Jessica.

"BOO!" Jessica yelled, popping up behind the couch.

"Hey!" Natalie scolded. "Get back in bed." She said, firmly.

"Mommy!" Jessica whined.

"No whining!" Natalie cried, pointing towards Jessica's bedroom. Jessica huffed and hugged Natalie.

"Goodnight Mommy."

"Goodnight." Jessica crawled back into Henry's lap and kissed his cheek,

"Goodnight Daddy." She whispered.

…**.To be continued :P …..reviews?**


	9. Chapter 9: Nothing Else

Henry's jaw dropped and Natalie gasped. Henry didn't know what to say as Jessica's bright eyes looked into his.

"Jessica! Why would you say something like that?" Natalie scolded. "Don't call Henry that."

"Why not?" Jessica asked.

"Because I said so." Natalie replied.

"That's not fair!" Jessica cried, leaping off of a speechless Henry's lap. Jessica looked angry now and had tears in her eyes

"He acts like a daddy! He plays with me and tickles me and helps at bath time, and he loves my Mommy!" Jessica yelled. Henry just stared not knowing what to say or do,

"He does everything everybody else's Daddy does! That's what all my friends' daddys do! That's what Henry does! So why can't he be my Daddy!" Henry watched as tears fled down Jessica's cheeks.

"It's not fair! Everybody else gets a Daddy." She wailed. "Why don't I? What did I do wrong!" Jessica yelled.

"Jessica…." Natalie began, but the little girl ran off to her room and slammed the door. Henry stood up and began to run to go talk to her but Natalie stopped him,

"Don't." She told him. "Trust me. Just give her a minute." Henry didn't know what to say. "I'm sorry, she did that." Natalie began to apologize.

"It's okay." Henry murmured.

"She's never done that before. I mean she's asked once or twice about her Dad, but..never like that." Natalie told him.

"It's my fault." Henry admitted. "I shouldn't have come here today, I should have backed off until the test came back. I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault." Natalie insisted. "Are you okay?" She asked him. He nodded.

"Yeah, that just…she…it feels…I don't know. I love her, Natalie. I love her so much." He explained. "She's the most perfect, adorable girl…I…I just. Oh God, Nat." Henry sat down and put his hands in his head.

"Natalie, Natalie…" she sat down next to him. "I…what if she's not mine?" He asked quietly. "What if I'm not her Dad, what if after feeling all this for her she's not mine? I can't deal with that….you don't even know how badly I want her to be mine…how badly I love her, I just…what happens?" Henry asked.

"What do you mean?" Natalie asked.

"If she's not mine. I…what do I just go away? Never see either of you again?" Natalie didn't know what to say. "Just forget about her?" Henry asked. "Never get to see her, never know if she's okay…."

"Henry…I mean. I don't know. If you want you can still hang out with her sometimes."

"But there's no guarantee!"He cried. "Was I a good boyfriend way back when?" He asked.

"Of course." Natalie told him.

"And I am I good with her now? Am I a good friend to you?"

"Yeah." Natalie said, not knowing where he was going with this.

"And you took off on me. You never spoke to me, you didn't leave a note, you didn't answer my calls, I didn't get anything. And I loved you with everything in me, and I love her now – so whose to say that won't happen again? I can't do that again, that can't happen again I don't want there to be a possibility that I could lose her!"

Henry cried, tears building up in his eyes.

"I promise, Henry. If you want to still see her every once in a while, that's fine. It won't happen again." Natalie told him.

"You don't understand. I can't lose her." Henry whispered.

"I do understand, Henry. I'm her mother. And you love her like a father should, so we're in the same boat here. And I won't do that to you. I promise. You just have to trust me, I know I broke your trust once, but I promise, okay?"

Natalie asked, gently touching his arm. Henry nodded hesitantly.

"Just one more week, and we'll know, and we can come up with a plan, alright?" Natalie suggested. Henry nodded.

"Alright." Natalie's phone rang so she stood up to pick it up.

"Hello?...

Oh hi…

okay…

oh really?...

Does that happen a lot…?

Oh, okay that sounds fine…

Yes…tomorrow sounds fine…..

great…

thanks a lot…

bye."

She hung up the phone and gazed at Henry.

"That was the lab. They say that unless there are complications the DNA tests only take 2 weeks, they just say 3 in case it gets more difficult. They have the results, we can go in tomorrow morning." Henry's jaw dropped.

"Natalie?"

"Yeah?"

"I can't." Was all Henry said.

"What do you mean?"

"I can't go…I can't find out. I don't want to find out."

"What!" Natalie cried.

"I can't not be….I can't deal with it Natalie! If she's not mine? I can't deal with that! I don't want to know!"

"Henry, you're not thinking straight….."

"NO! Natalie you don't get it!" Henry yelled, "When you left I wanted to die! I had nothing, NOTHING in my life! I didn't understand why I was here, why anybody was here, what's the point? What's the point of being alive! I didn't have one! I didn't have a reason, I didn't know the point of life…and now I do! Now I get it, Natalie! And if she gets taken away from me…."

"I promise Henry, she won't. You can see her no matter what!"

"That's not good enough! If she's not mine I don't know what I'll do. Nat, if she's not mine…then what's the point for me? What's the point of being here? What's the point of…."

"Henry, you shouldn't be thinking stuff like that. Thinking you're worthless, thinking you…have nothing…."

"But aside from you guys. I don't have anything." Henry interrupted.

"I love her so much, more than anything – and neither of us will admit it there is something going on between me and you. Something is there between us. Something is between Jessica and I – and I'm not letting some stupid results on a stupid piece of paper ruin either of those things. I don't want this ruining or changing either relationship, because I like everything just the way it is. I can't let something get in the way of this, I….Natalie I'm irrational, when I get upset, you don't know – hell I don't know how I'll react or what I'll do if she's not mine. If…I just…I can't find out. Because the truth…could ruin me."

Henry said, breathing heavily and wiping the tears from his eyes. Natalie put her hand gently on his back.

"Look, if you don't find out, you'll wonder for the rest of your life. And you deserve to know, Henry. And she deserves to know."

"And so do you." Henry interrupted. Natalie nodded,

"Regardless of what the results are we all need to know the truth." She told him gently. "So me and you are going to go in tomorrow, see what's going on, find out. And we'll figure everything out from there."

"I'm not losing her, or you. I won't." Henry said.

"You don't have to." Natalie whispered. "I don't want you to!" She added. "We like spending time with you. You make her so happy. I would never take that away from her." Natalie told him.

"So, we're going tomorrow." She said. Henry nodded,

"Okay." He replied weakly.

"I know this is hard. I can't even imagine how it feels." Natalie said, standing up.

"It feels horrible." Henry explained.

"I'm sorry. But, everything will be okay."

"Can I go say goodbye?" Henry asked.

"Yeah, she should be okay. Don't say anything about what happened, I'll handle it until tomorrow and we have an actual answer for her." Henry nodded and walked to Jessica's room where the little girl was still crying into her pillow.

"Hey, Jess?" He said quietly.

"Go away." She murmured.

"I just came to say goodnight." Henry knelt down on the floor beside her and put a rubbed her back. "I'll talk to you soon, okay? Sleep tight, kiddo." Jessica turned or sad, lonely, tear stained face to him and nodded.

"Why don't I get a Daddy?" She whispered. "What did I do?" She asked.

Henry felt his heart break for her and told her,

"You didn't do anything. You're absolutely perfect. And anybody would be very lucky to be your Daddy, okay?" Henry kissed her gently.

"I love you."

"I love you too, Henry."

"Goodnight." Henry stood up and walked out.

"She's okay?" Natalie asked.

"Getting there. See you tomorrow – pick you up at 8:30?" He asked.

"Yeah, that sounds fine." Natalie said. "I'll drop her off at the neighbors." Henry nodded.

"Goodnight." He said. Natalie smiled and hugged him gently.

"Goodnight."

**Reviews?**


	10. Chapter 10: Once and For All Part 2

"Hey."

Natalie said when she opened the door the next morning. She looked exhausted and miserable, and Henry realized she reminded him a lot of the way she would show up at school after going through a night of practicing, and homework, and dealing with her parents.

Although she would always look beautiful to him, she looked like a mess.

"Hi." Henry said shakily.

"I already took her to the neighbors, so…let's just go." Natalie murmured.

Henry nodded and led her out to his car and they drove off to the lab. Henry was in an old sweatshirt and gym shorts, and she was in sweatpants. They both were just so tired and frightened and anxious.

They sat next to each other in the waiting room and Natalie was sitting biting her nails.

"Hey, gnaw on something edible." Henry joked, pulling her hand away from her mouth.

"Just nervous." She whispered.

"Me too." Henry told her, and put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her a little closer. "But you've got to be a little excited, right?" he asked.

"Yeah. I've been dying to know….since the day I found out." Natalie admitted. "But I've always been scared too. Terrified, actually. Because if I didn't know there'd always be hope..that…I don't know. I'm just scared." She whispered.

Henry rubbed her shoulder,

"Just relax." He told her. "You'll be fine." Natalie nodded and was about to say something to Henry when a nurse came in and called

"Natalie and Henry?"

**10 minutes later…**

"Are you two excited?" The doctor asked.

"Yes." Henry and Natalie said politely in unison.

"Life changing moment, right here." The doctor explained, rummaging through an envelope. Natalie glared at him. "Alright, are you guys ready for this?" He asked, pulling out a piece of paper.

Natalie glared at the paper. A paper that would determine who her daughter was, and what she had run from 4 years ago. A paper that would spark tears and regret, and hate.

She would hate herself if Jessica wasn't Henry's.

She would hate herself if she had run from Henry all those years ago for nothing. This paper, a simple eight by ten piece of paper was about to change it all.

Henry looked at Natalie nervously and then at the paper, and then at the doctor, and back to the paper. This paper was about to change his life, and could possibly determine whether his life was even worth living.

This was about to change his relationship with Jessica and with Natalie and there was no avoiding it, because in this moment, they find out…

"Henry Carter, you….."

**ARE NOT. **

**ARE.**

**ARE NOT.**

**ARE.**

The two possibilities bounced in Henry's mind as he awaited the hour long pause the doctor was taking before finishing his sentence.

"What!" Henry finally yelled.

And the doctor finished his sentence.

**C'mon..you all saw this cliffhanger coming :D **

**Reviews?**


	11. Chapter 11: Once and For AllFor Real

Numb, and silent Natalie and Henry walked out of the lab. Their eyes were both glued on the ground, in a state of shock. Their faces were frozen and unreadable. They stopped on the sidewalk outside.

Natalie crossed her arms and looked up at Henry.

He looked even more exhausted than when they walked in, his sparkly brown eyes looked dry and still. He barely blinked, merely glared at the ground.

Natalie could hear her heart pounding, she couldn't believe what had just happened. Something she had wondered for 4 years, she finally knew now.

Now she knew.

Neither of them knew what to say. What do you say?

In a pathetic attempt to make a joke, Natalie murmured,

"Well….congratulations…. 'Daddy'."

Henry looked up at her, his face still unreadable, emotionally.

"Thanks." He whispered.

"Aren't you…aren't you happy?" Natalie asked, confused. It looked like the Henry who was begging to never have Jessica taken away from him, and who wanted her to be his daughter was just…totally unreadable.

"Are you?" Henry asked. Natalie nodded.

"I may have run away from you, and I may have gotten pregnant in college. But I'd rather have gotten pregnant who I had a plan with, who I could have had a future with, and with someone who I loved than with some guy at a party. I've always felt guilty about it. And I would be so disgusted with myself…."

"It doesn't matter, right?" Henry interrupted. "Because she's mine. So, let's not even go there."

"So are you happy?" Natalie asked.

"Of course."

"You don't look it."

"I'm just…surprised. It hasn't totally clicked yet." Natalie nodded.

"Want to grab some food? I think we have a lot to talk about." Henry said.

"Yeah. Let's go."

They drove to a local restaurant and sat down in silence, and ordered their food and then sat silently.

"So…." Henry began. "What do we do now?" He asked. Natalie sighed deeply.

"We need to talk about, custody and…all that stuff."

"Child support?" Henry asked and Natalie looked up at him and shook her head.

"We're doing fine, you don't need to pay…."

"Of course I do." Henry interrupted her. "She's my daughter, of course I owe child support – starting now and for the past 4 years."

"But…no…you don't!" Natalie argued, she didn't want to take his money.

"Natalie, my God just swallow your pride and let me take responsibility!" Henry said angrily.

"I don't need it." Natalie replied bitterly. "You didn't even know about her…"

"Well I do now, and I owe you something for the past 4 years."

"3 years." Natalie argued. "I lived with my parents, they took care of a lot of things."

"Fine, I owe you 3 years of child support." Henry answered. Natalie rolled her eyes. "How much?" He asked.

"No clue."

"Four hundred a month."

"That's too much.."

"Three hundred."

"One hundred." Natalie argued.

"Really? Are you kidding me, Nat? Three hundred."

"Two hundred."

"Two fifty." By now both of them were on the brim of giggling.

"Fine. Two fifty." Natalie agreed.

"It should be more." Henry told her.

"That's it." She said firmly. Henry sighed, sort of pissed off that Natalie was acting the way that she was.

"But, if there's anything big that you need money for just let me…."

"I won't." Natalie cut him off. "Need money..but thanks." She murmured.

"What about like, seeing her?" Henry asked. Natalie shrugged,

"How often do you want to see her?" She asked. Henry shrugged.

"I don't know. What do people usually do?"

"No clue." Natalie replied.

"Are you okay, Nat?" Henry asked.

"Yes."

"You just seem…odd. Like, if something's wrong…if you want..just tell me what's up." Henry told her gently.

"Just takes some getting used to."

"Right."

"How about…every other weekend? She can stay with you."

"Whoa." Henry murmured. "She's gonna like sleep at my place and stuff?"

"If you're okay with that. I thought you'd like…I mean people do that." Natalie said, giggling a bit at their cluelessness.

"Oh, yeah. Well, yeah that's, that'd be awesome." Henry replied, smiling.

"And then she can come, and hang out with you at your place, once a week?" Henry grinned.

"I get to see her that much?"

"What did you think I was giving you like a once a month deal?" Natalie asked, laughing.

"I don't know. I'm still in shock about all of it."

"Me too."

"So, I'll get the child support to you. And this weekend can stay yours. Give me a chance to stock up the apartment, child proof it…" Natalie laughed at Henry. "And, um does Wednesday's work for her coming over?"

"Sounds good." Natalie replied.

"Okey dokey." They got their food and ate awkwardly.

Henry was a little upset that Natalie was acting so not like herself, he hoped things wouldn't stay this way.

"Nat?"

"Mhm?"

"When do we tell her?"

"That's the hard part." Natalie whispered. "I can take care of it, if you want…"

"No..no..I want to be there." Henry said.

"How about Wednesday morning? Come over for breakfast before she goes to pre-school."

"Really?"

"Yup."

"Awesome!" They got up and drove home.

"Hey, Nat." Henry said as she began getting out of the car.

"I know this is going to be a tough time, and it's gonna be hard adjusting to stuff, and it's going to be different. But, uh…we can still be friends, right? We can be like we were. I don't like this..awkward shit." Natalie giggled.

"Me either. Once I'm out of this..shocked state we can go back to being buds." She joked.

"Awesome." Henry murmured, and held out a fist. Natalie bumped fists with him and they both laughed.

"I'll see you later, bud." He said.

"Bye." Natalie leaned back in the car to quickly hug Henry goodbye and then headed inside.

**Boring chapter! I know, I'm sorry. Please review anyway :D **

**I love reviews, they make me so very happy :D**

**Thanks for all the great ones so far!**


	12. Chapter 12: Absolutely Not

The days went by since the doctor's appointment and pretty soon Wednesday, Henry's day to take Jessica came. He drove over in the morning, with Dunkin Donuts, so he could be there when Natalie told her the news.

"Hey." Natalie said, pulling open the door.

"Hi." Henry said, gently walking inside.

"HENRY!" Jessica squealed, running out of her bedroom, her shirt on backwards, half tucked into her little skirt, and mismatching knee high socks, and one flip flop.

"I let her dress herself and see what happens." Natalie explained. Henry just smiled and looked at Jessica.

But now he really looked at her. She wasn't just Natalie's daughter anymore – she was his. His forever, his to help, and watch grow, and lecture, and teach, and raise, and cuddle, and hug, and kiss – his. Henry looked at her beautiful little smile, and grinned, sure he was scared as hell about the whole situation, but he'd never felt happier.

"_We did this…me and Nat. I did this."_ He thought to himself, in amazement.

"What's up, kiddo?" He finally asked. Jessica skipped over to him.

"Nothing." She murmured, smiling. Henry put the food down and bent down to her,

"Oh, yeah?" He asked, beginning to tickle her. She shrieked happily and wrapped her arms around his neck. Henry lifted her up and held her, and looked at her.

"You know, your clothes are a little mismatched, kiddo."

"So what!" Jessica cried. Henry laughed at her care free attitude.

"You know what..you're right. So what?" Henry agreed. "You still look beautiful." He whispered, putting his fore head against hers. Jessica smiled and kissed his nose. She was too adorable.

They sat down and ate and then Henry gave Jessica a "superman" ride over to the couch, and Natalie and Henry sat on the coffee table in front of her, ready to tell her.

"Am I in trouble?" Jessica asked. Henry chucked,

"No." He said. Natalie sighed.

"Alright, Jess. We're about to explain something really tough and complicated to you. Okay?" Jessica nodded, and gulped. "Okay." Henry could tell Natalie didn't really know how to explain it.

"Well, sometimes in life, big changes happen. And sometimes people aren't ready for these big changes. Are you okay so far?" Jessica nodded.

"Either, they can't pay for it, or they're too busy, or they're scared – sometimes you're just not ready for something. And there's nothing wrong with that. Sometimes you don't feel ready to do things yet, right?" Jessica nodded again.

Henry smiled at the little girl.

"So, a couple of years ago, a big change happened for Henry and I. Do you want to guess what it was?" Jessica bit her lip and thought carefully for a few moments.

"You won a billion dollars?" Jessica cried out, grinning. Henry and Natalie laughed.

"I wish." Henry murmured.

"No…not that. It might not seem like a big change, but it is….Henry and I found out we were going to have a baby." Jessica gasped.

"Of course that's a big change!" She exclaimed. "You have to feed it, and change its yucky diapers, and buy it crap!"

"JESSICA. What did I tell you about that language?" Natalie yelled. Jessica smirked and covered her mouth.

"Sorry." She murmured. Natalie sighed while Henry stifled a giggle at hearing a well mannered 4 year old yell the word crap.

"It's okay. But…yeah it's a really big change. And…" Natalie felt bad kind of putting Henry on the pedestal of not being "ready", but the real situation was too complicated for a 4 year old. But luckily Henry came in and saved her,

"It was a huge change. And I didn't think I was ready for a baby. Because when a baby's born – I'm a Daddy, right? And back then I wouldn't have been a good Daddy. I wasn't ready." Henry glanced at Natalie.

"But now I am." Henry finished.

"Jessica, are you following?" Natalie asked.

"Henry's ready to be a Daddy." Jessica said matter a factly.

"Yes..but…do you understand who the baby is?" Jessica shook her head. Natalie took her daughter's hands and said

"Sweetheart, Henry is your Daddy." Jessica's jaw dropped.

"Are you serious?" She asked.

"Yes." Natalie told her.

"So I DO have a Dad?" Jessica cried, grinning. Henry waved,

"Right here." He said. She grinned even larger.

"Are you happy?" Natalie asked cautiously.

"OF COURSE!" Jessica yelled, leaping into Henry's lap and hugging him. "If I had to pick anybody in the whole world to be my Daddy it would be Henry!" she told them.

Henry was just staring into space. This was real. Jessica looked up at him.

"Henry, you don't look very happy." She said sadly. Henry grinned,

"What! Of course I'm happy! Why wouldn't I be? You're my best buddy. And now you're my daughter." He told her.

"So…am I allowed to call you Daddy?" Henry looked to Natalie and then at his daughter,

"Of course you are. If you want to. But if it makes you feel better you can keep calling me Henry." Jessica thought about it.

"Am I allowed to change my mind?" She asked.

"Sure." Henry said, chuckling.

"I'll keep calling you Henry for now." Jessica decided.

"That's fine." Henry told her.

"Okay, so um if it's okay with you, Jess." Natalie began to explain.

"Since Henry's your Dad, he wants to spend time with you. So we figured that once a week, after school you could go over to his house. And then come home before bedtime. Is that okay?" Natalie wanted to make sure her daughter was comfortable.

"Like a play date!" Jessica squealed. Natalie sighed,

"Yes, like a play date."

"YES!" Jessica yelled. "I'm so excited." She added.

"Me too." Henry told her. "And then on some weekends, you're going to sleepover my house. If that's okay…."

"YES! YES! Of course it's okay!" Jessica looked happier than ever.

"Alright, great." Natalie murmured. "Um, let's get you to school, Henry you're coming." She said.

"Hm?" He asked.

"You're picking her up, so I want her teachers to know you so they know it's okay for her to go with you."

"Oh, okay." They all piled in the car and drove to Jessica's preschool, and walked inside. Henry had to blink a few times to get used to the bright hallway.

It was painted like a sky, with bright colored farm animals all over it, with colorful drawings hanging on the wall and bright white lights. They walked over to a desk, where a woman was sitting.

"Ms. Jones? Just signing Jess in." Natalie said.

"Hi, how are you two?" She asked friendlily, passing Natalie a student sign in sheet, which she filled out.

"Good, how are you?" Jessica murmured. Henry smiled at how well mannered she was.

"I'm just wonderful." Ms. Jones replied. "And who is this?" She asked, gesturing at Henry.

"My DADDY!" Jessica cried out happily. Henry stuck his hand out,

"Ms. Jones, this is Henry…Henry…" Natalie introduced them.

"Nice to finally meet Jessica's Dad." Ms. Jones remarked.

"Henry's going to pick Jess up today and every Wednesday so I just wanted to make sure everyone would be familiar with him."

"Oh, that's fine." Ms. Jones said. "You can bring him into the classroom to meet Miss Lilly."

"Thanks." Natalie said and the 3 of them headed down the hall. They walked into a big, bright room full of screaming kids and toys, Henry presumed it was Jessica's classroom.

She immediately dashed over to some kids and began chatting with them. Miss Lilly appeared and said a quick hello to Natalie and then introduced herself to Henry. She was nice but Henry could tell she was suspicious about him suddenly coming into Jessica's life.

"Alright, well, Henry, we'll see you this afternoon!" Miss Lilly said after a few minutes of small talk.

"Great." He replied.

"Jess!" Natalie cried and she skipped over to them. Natalie leaned down and hugged and kissed her, "Be good, I love you. I'll see you tonight." Jessica then squeezed Henry around the legs to which he bent down and hugged her too.

"See you later, kiddo." He told her and him and Natalie walked out and got in the car.

They chatted lightly on the way back to the apartment, where they found Dan standing outside on the porch. With 2 black garbage bags next to him.

"Dad…what's going on?" Natalie asked as her and Henry approached him. Dan ignored her and just hugged her,

"How you doing?" He asked her.

"Fine..but what's in.." Dan cut her off and shook hands with Henry,

"Good to see you again, Henry. Congrats."

"Thanks." Henry replied sheepishly.

"You happy about it?" Dan asked.

"Of course I am."

"Good…she's a good kid." Dan told him and Henry nodded.

"Okay, um…now can you answer my question? What the hell is in here?" Natalie asked, pointing to the bags.

"Well, I thought Henry could use some child entertainment at his place. God knows we have way too many toys for that girl at our place, so we brought some of the overload over for you." Dan said to Henry.

"Oh, wow. Thanks, Mr. Goodman. That's really nice." Henry said chuckling.

"You're going to need a lot more than that." Natalie murmured and her and Dan chuckled.

"Hm?" Henry asked.

"Nothing." The two Goodmans said in unison. Henry couldn't help but feel left out of some parenting secret. They hauled the bags of toys into Henry's car and then they all headed inside to talk. Natalie began cleaning up the kitchen so Henry went to help her while Dan sat down and babbled on and on.

"I think it's really good for Jess, that things are headed in this direction." He rambled. "Are you two back together?" He asked.

Henry froze and felt his face go white and his blood rush.

"Absolutely not." Natalie told her father quickly, continuing to wash dishes. Dan just casually nodded and returned to his rambling.

"_Absolutely not_?" Henry wondered to himself. He sighed heavily.

Dan stayed for about another half hour. Henry and Natalie finished cleaning up and she said,

"I'm guessing your apartment isn't child ready?" Henry just shook his head.

"Okay, well you need food she likes, and furniture, and tons of other shit. Does she have a room at your place?"

"I'm cleaning out the office." Henry replied.

"Kay, so uh. Why don't we go buy up some stuff for you?" Natalie suggested.

"Yeah, that's a good idea. I'll need help." Henry said and they both chuckled and got back in the car. They drove to Costco first.

"Okay, you have like basic normal food? Bread, milk, water?"

"No, Natalie, there's no water at my house." Henry retorted sarcastically. Natalie stuck her tongue out at him,

"Fine, well you really just need pasta, and PB&J, and sandwich meat and cheese. And some frozen dinners, and then stuff for her to snack on. So we need to buy a fruit salad, and oh and frozen chicken nuggets, and some chips, and cereals, and pancake mix, and eggs –you need to have eggs, and then some cookies that she can have after dinner…" Natalie continued to ramble and pushed a shopping cart up and down the aisles, filling the cart up with "Jessica-proof" food.

Pretty soon they were walking out, 3 carts filled with food, bedding, some clothes, and furniture, and a few movies and books. Henry thought they were over doing it but he decided not to say anything. They drove back to Natalie's house and went inside for a minute.

"Okay, she goes to bed at 8:00, so bring her back around 7:30. No dessert before dinner, no bad words, no hitting, no nose picking…"

"Are you talking about me or her?" Henry joked.

"Very funny. And just no bad behavior." She added. Henry laughed.

"What?" Natalie asked.

"So many rules!" Henry cried.

"It's not easy without rules. Then she'll do whatever she wants!"

"What's wrong with that?" Henry asked. "She's smart." He told her. Natalie rolled her eyes.

"I'm KIDDING, Nat." Henry told her. "Thanks for helping me out with all this. I really wouldn't know what to do without you. You've done a really great job with her, let's just hope I don't ruin it." Natalie smiled, and touched his arm.

"You'll be fine." Henry smiled weakly. "Alright, you better go get her." Natalie said.

"Yeah, see you at 7:30." Henry replied.

"Bye."

Henry didn't know why he did it or where it came from, but he leaned down and pressed his lips against Natalie's cheek. Natalie could feel herself blushing up a storm, and her heart raced and her body froze.

Henry froze too, and pulled away slowly, smelling her gentle perfume. Since he didn't want to face an awkward silence, Henry just walked out.

To drive to the preschool. To pick up his daughter.

He had no idea what was in store for the night.

**Sorry for the lack of updates! Please review! They mean so much to me and make me oh so happy :D **


	13. Chapter 13: I Lied

Henry arrived at the preschool, which now had a full parking lot and tons of Moms scrambling inside, and walking out holding munckins' hands.

Henry walked inside, and all of the younger Moms who had been talking brought their voices down to a whisper, stared, and smiled flirtatiously. Henry smiled, and then continued making his way down the hallway to Jessica's classroom.

"Henry!" She cried from across the room when she saw him. She skipped over and he bent down and hugged her.

"Hey, kiddo. You all ready to go?" Jessica quickly said,

"First I need to help clean up!" Henry now saw that she had been playing Barbies with another little girl and smiled at how responsible she was. Once she finished cleaning up Jessica ran over to her cubby and took out her coat and backpack and slipped them on.

She took Henry's hand as they walked out and once again all the Moms stared and giggled at Henry.

"How was your day?" Henry asked.

"Alright."

"Just alright?"

"Yeah."

"Something wrong?"

"No."

"Your sure?"

"Yes, Henry." Jessica insisted giggling.

"Okay." Henry said, grinning and opening the car door for her.

"Where's my car seat?" Jessica asked. Henry gazed into the blank backseat.

"Car seat…shit!" He exclaimed. Jessica pointed and cried

"You said a bad word!"

"Right, I'm sorry. Um…um…you know what? How about we drive to target right now and get you one? Think we can make it?"

"I hope so!" Jessica said. Henry lifted her into the car and buckled her seat belt and then got in the car and began the drive to Target. They ran inside, got a car seat, and ran out and drove to Henry's apartment.

They walked inside and Jessica stood in the middle of the living room.

"What do we do?" She asked.

"Uh…I dunno." Henry replied. Jessica sighed.

"I have mountains of homework." She said and Henry resisted the urge to chuckle.

She was such a little "woman". A grown up inside a 4 year old's body. Jessica sat on the floor.

"Hey, wanna do it at the table?" Jessica nodded and moved herself to the kitchen table and took out a "color by numbers" page. Henry smiled as he watched her, she was so focused.

Henry went out to the car and began bringing in the food and stuff from costco and when Jessica was finished she began helping him to set up his room. He put together the furniture and she filled the drawers and bookshelf with toys and clothes.

"Nice job, kiddo, do you like it?" He asked when they were finished. She nodded.

"Now I'm bored." She murmured.

"Oh..uh…" Henry tried thinking of something to do. "Do you like Chuckie Cheese?" He asked.

"Only a WHOLE LOT!" Jessica yelled. Henry laughed,

"Alright then, let's go." 20 minutes later Henry was chasing her through Chuckie Cheese, from arcade games, to claw machines, to small rides, to the giant jungle gym. He won her a "Chuckie" stuffed animal, and they played "bowling".

She had been playing in the jungle gym by herself since Henry wasn't allowed in for about a half hour.

Henry looked up and saw her sitting, curled up, crying through one of the more clear pieces of the jungle gym. He tried waving to her but she didn't see. Henry ran to the jungle gym entrance.

"Kids only."

"My daughter's…."

"KIDS ONLY." The attendant repeated.

"Listen dude, I hear you, but my daughter's up there, and she's not coming down and something's wrong…"

"KIDS only."

Henry pushed the attendant aside, and climbed up through the jungle gym.

"SIR! Excuse me! Sir get down here! You're not allowed up there!" The attendant yelled.

Kids stared as Henry made his way, crawling, and sliding, and army crawling through the tubes. He finally saw Jessica curled up in the corner.

"Jess!" He cried. Her poor scared little eyes met his. Henry crawled over to her and put his arm on her back.

"What's wrong, what happened?" He asked.

"M..m..monster." Jessica whimpered.

"What?"

"Monster." She wailed, tears pulling out.

"What monster? Kiddo, remember there's no such thing as monsters."

"But..there's a loud noise…at the end over there, and a boy told me it was a m..m..monster." Henry looked to where she was pointing and smiled.

"Sweetheart, that loud noise? It sounds like roaring, right?" Jessica nodded and gripped his shirt tightly.

"Jess, that's just the air conditioner. I promise. Sometimes it makes noises like that at home too."

"Are you sure?" Jessica asked.

"I promise. That mean boy lied to you." 4 years old and boys were already making her cry. Jessica nodded and snuggled up to him, wrapping her arms tightly around him and squeezing.

"I want to go home." She whispered.

"Okay, how about we have some pizza first?" Henry asked. She nodded. "Alrighty." Henry said. He kissed her forehead and the two of them began to crawl out of the jungle gym, where the attendant was waiting, with his arms crossed.

"SIR!"

"Kids only. I know." Henry said, cutting him off, and taking Jessica by the hand and walking over to the food counter.

They ordered a pizza and sat down in a booth. Jessica sat on the same side as him and snuggled into him.

"You okay?" He asked. Jessica nodded.

"I just got scared." She murmured. Henry put an arm around her.

"Yeah, that's okay. I'll protect you." Jessica grinned.

They ate their pizza, and then went back to his place to pick up her stuff and then pretty soon it was 7:30, and they drove back over to Natalie's.

"Did you have fun, kiddo?" Henry asked, helping her out of the car.

"Yes!"

"Good." They walked up to the door and Natalie opened it, in a tank top and pajama pants.

"Geez, it's cold, get inside." She told them. Natalie leaned down and hugged her daughter.

"Did you have fun? Were you good?"

"YES MOMMY." Jessica said. Natalie chuckled, "Good." "Why are you in your pajamas?" Jessica asked.

"I'm getting ready for bed, silly. And you need to too, so say goodbye and then go get ready for bed." Jessica sighed and Henry leaned down and kissed and hugged her.

"I'll see you later, kiddo. I love you."

"I love you too, Daddy." She whispered. Henry smiled brightly at her and kissed her one more time before she went off skipping to her room.

"Wow." He muttered.

"Tired?" Natalie asked.

"Yeah." Henry chuckled. "That was pretty interesting." Natalie grinned.

"Was everything okay?"

"Yeah…yeah, we set up her room, and then we went to Chuckie Cheese. She got a little scared in the tube things…."

"She hates those." Natalie told him. "Did she do her homework?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Did you have fun?"

"Yeah..she's..she's really great Nat. You're really a great mom." Henry told her gently.

"Thanks." Jessica walked out of her room in her pajamas.

"Come tuck me in!" She cried.

"Sit down." Natalie said to Henry, "I'll be done in a minute." Henry sat down on the couch.

"Alright, get in bed." Natalie told her daughter.

She crawled under the covers and Natalie fixed them around her. "You had a good time today?" She asked. Jessica nodded tiredly.

"I love him." She whispered through a yawn.

"He loves you too. Very much." Natalie whispered.

"And I love you."

"I love you, Mommy."

"Sweet dreams, Jess." Natalie kissed her forehead and turned out the lights and went back out to the living room, shutting the door.

"You okay?" She asked Henry.

"Just tired." He said.

"Are you hungry I can…."

"No, no Chuckie Cheese pizza is pretty filling." Henry replied.

Natalie giggled and sat down next to him.

"I'm really happy this all turned out like this. She loves you, so much." Henry smiled.

"She's so like…adorable..and her manners are just like flawless…and she's like a grown up…"

"Trapped in a 4 year old's body. I've heard it before." Natalie interrupted, grinning.

"It's totally true." Henry insisted.

"You've just got to be careful, because before you know it she really will be a grown up." Natalie said. "I swear, these past 4 years have gone by so fast."

"Everything feels like just yesterday." Henry added.

"Do you have any…baby pictures..that I could see?" He asked.

"Of course! Yeah, I have extras of some that you can take. Hold on…I just got some more recent pictures printed at Costco..let me find them." Henry let Natalie look and she pulled out 4 shoeboxes. They were filled with pictures of Jessica from a baby until now.

They picked and chose and Natalie told stories and they selected a handful for Henry to take.

"Thanks." He said when they were done.

"Of course."

"How's work going?" Henry asked, leaning back.

"Alright." Natalie murmured.

"And your parents? How's your mom doing?" Natalie sighed and whispered,

"Fine."

"Just fine? You want to talk?" Henry asked. Natalie shook her head. "Oh, well if you do want to. You know..I'm sure I won't have anything better to do." Henry said, grinning geekily.

"Thanks. It's just…like it's been over 24 years. When is this going to get better? Once and for all, you know?" Henry didn't know what to say so he just nodded.

He watched her face grow with pain, and her eyes begin to fill with tears.

"She's tried so hard, and the doctors, and my dad, and me…we've all done so much." The tears began to fall and she began to sob.

"And is it going to all be for nothing? Is it never getting better?" She asked. Henry slipped his arm around her,

"Hey…it will get better. It will. It just takes time. A lot of time. It feels like forever but when she's finally be better it will be worth it." He told her, squeezing her shoulder. She continued crying.

"And I used to blame her. But now that I'm a mom…if I was putting Jessica through all of that…I would probably try to kill myself…so really I should be blamed because I make her feel so guilty."

"Don't you ever say that." Henry told her, holding her tighter, and wrapping his other arm around her in an embrace, and she cried against his chest.

"It's not your fault. It's not anybody's." Natalie just kept crying and finally calmed down.

"I'm sorry." She said and giggled.

"I made you listen to his years ago and now I'm doing it again now." She said and he chuckled.

"I don't mind. You need someone to listen to you."

"Thank you."

"No problem. What are friends for?" He asked and Natalie bit her lip and looked up at him. She hugged him one more time.

"I'm really happy you're her Dad. She needs someone like you. Being in my family, she's going to go through a lot. And you'll be there for her just like you were for me….even though I never understood why."

Henry hugged her back and leaned his lip close to her ear.

"Because I loved you." He whispered. "And I cared about you. And I still care about you, so any time you need…"

"But do you still love me?" Natalie asked cautiously, in a whisper. "You still care but….?" Henry pulled away from her slowly and looked at her dark brown eyes.

He remembered. He remembered looking at those scared, lonely brown eyes so many years ago. He remembered those eyes angry and sand and happy and scared.

He remember seeing those eyes today, in his daughter. Frightened and scared.

He looked at the familiar eyes now and then felt Natalie's hand intertwine with his.

She leaned her forehead against his and then he shook his head and pulled away.

"When your dad asked…if you and I..were…" Henry began, "You said absolutely not. I…why did you…" He stood up quickly, sort of angry. Natalie stood up.

"A few weeks ago you said you didn't have feelings for me." She defended herself. "You told me…" She continued. Henry grabbed for her hand, and then held her around the waist. But then he pulled away abruptly.

"I lied." He whispered.

And then he grabbed his keys and his phone, and wiping away tears ran out the door.

Natalie broke into sobs and she couldn't help it, and she didn't remember doing it but her legs chased after him. She caught his arm by the car door and he turned to her.

Natalie put both hands around his face and pulled him towards her, passionately crashing her lips against his, trying to avoid crying any more.

Henry felt his arms snake around her waist and back and he pulled her closer, and closer until their chests were touching and he still pulled her closer as they kissed.

He couldn't take his lips away from hers. And neither could she.

So long. So long they had waited. So many tears they had cried, and times they had tried. So many moments of missing each other, so much wondering and thinking and pain but none of it mattered anymore.

Because they had each other again, at last.

**Reviews?**


	14. Chapter 14: Family Matters

"I love your laugh." Henry said into the phone. Him and Natalie had been talking for a good 20 minutes.

"Then make me laugh more." Natalie teased. It had only been 2 days but they were already inseparable. They only got off the phone with each other when they had to, and Natalie found herself giggling and acting giddy as if it were some silly junior high school crush.

"When are you coming back over?" She asked, these 2 days seemed like years. "I miss you." Natalie whispered.

"I miss you guys too. But this whole week when I'm not working I'm looking for a new job."

"Why do you want a new job?"

"I hate mine."

"Oh. What are you looking at?"

"Stuff I used to do – composer work, some record company positions, and a couple of music clubs in the city."

"All of them in New York?" Natalie asked, biting her lip.

"Yeah, but no worries, it's only like a half hour commute."

"Mhmm. Seriously, when are you coming over?" She asked, really missing him.

"Well, I've yet to take you out on an actual date in the past 4 years." Henry commented.

"Aw, you don't have to take me out. We can just hang here."

"With Jess?" Henry asked.

"Oh, well if you want…"

"No, I mean I don't mind it just being you and me. I was just wondering." Henry quickly clarified.

"Want to come over after bed time tomorrow?" Natalie asked, smirking. Henry grinned

"Sounds like a plan. But I AM taking you out on a real date."

"Of course you are." Natalie challenged.

"I am!" Henry exclaimed. Natalie giggled.

"I'll see you around, 9 tomorrow night?" Henry asked.

"Yeah."

"Great, alright I'll see you then." Henry smiled and Natalie could practically hear him grin and smiled too,

"Yay." She murmured.

"Nighty night." Henry replied and Natalie giggled.

"Goodnight Henry."

The next night they talked on the phone again for hours after dinner,

"Hey, I'm about to put her in bed, do you want to come over?" Natalie asked.

"Uh…sure, anytime?"

"Yeah." Natalie could feel herself grinning.

Natalie tucked Jessica in, and then went to make sure that even in her ratty tank top and pajama pants she still looked decent, and then she heard a light tapping on the door. She practically ran to it. Natalie couldn't remember the last time she felt so vulnerable. She opened the door and smiled brightly.

"Hey." Henry said in a husky whisper, grinning.

"Hi." Natalie leaned forward and put her hands on either side of his face, and kissed him gently.

She let him inside and then led him over to the couch, and they sat down. Henry slipped his arm around her shoulder.

"How was your day?" He whispered close to her, and Natalie could feel his warm breath on her cheek.

"Fine." She reached for his hand and wound her fingers through his, and then leaned toward him and kissed him again.

"Hey…" Henry murmured, pulling away, "Look, I think we need to talk." He said.

"About…?" Natalie asked.

"Us. I mean, you know I know how close we were before, but a lot of time has gone by, and a lot of things have changed. I think that…we just need to be careful, and take things slow. I mean…what's the rush, you know? I think that for everyone's sake, we should just take it slow and let things happen. Take some time and get to know each other again, and just enjoy being together before we take things too seriously."

Natalie nodded,

"You're right, I don't want to rush this….not with her in the picture especially. Because I think this could really turn into something, and I don't want to throw that away." Henry nodded,

"Good….both on the same page."

"But are we…like…?" Natalie asked.

"You mean like….um I dunno. Do you want to be?" Henry asked. Natalie decided to tease him and asked

"Do I want to be what?" Henry sighed, realizing what she was doing.

"Do you want to be my girlfriend?" Natalie smiled, remembering the first time he had asked her that, years ago.

"Hmm…" She teased.

"Don't even!" Henry cried, laughing.

"Of course." She murmured, and kissed him again, slowly and lovingly.

"Yay." Henry muttered. They pulled away and started talking some more, and before they knew it 2 hours had gone by.

"Mhmm…I need to go, I'm sorry." Henry whispered in between kisses..which they had ended up doing.

"It's fine, you need to sleep." Natalie replied.

"You look pretty exhausted yourself." Henry told her. "Do you ever sleep?" He asked.

"Nope." Natalie replied, Henry grinned,

"Well I'm going to change that…" And he lifted Natalie up, and she laughed and carried her to her room and tossed her gently on the bed.

"Goodnight, I'll talk to you tomorrow." He said. "Sweet dreams." He kissed her lightly.

"Night, Henry."

2 weeks later Henry landed a job being an assistant to a big record company executive in New York City. He drove in and out every day, and was usually exhausted by the time he got home so there were no more late night phone calls or secret meetings.

They went out to dinner, and met up for lunch when they could, and talked on lunch breaks, and Henry was always sending Natalie cute text messages through the day.

_**Henry: Dinner with my 2 favorite girls tonight? It's been a long 18 hours…missing you two **___

_**Henry: I can hear you're beautiful piano playing from another state **_____

_**Henry: How's your Tuesday so far, beautiful?**_

Their relationship was so much different than it ever was. It was no longer Henry taking care of an angry, upset Natalie. It was Henry and Natalie caring about each other. Natalie was vulnerable, and flirty, and happier than she'd ever been.

And Henry was more spontaneous, and brave, and even though they were both so different, things were going perfectly. But they had decided that for the sake of taking things slow, they would take their time telling their family, friends, and Jessica about the relationship. So it was a secret. That wasn't so easy to keep.

Occasionally though, Henry did come over at night. He always brought something for Natalie – flowers, food, chocolate , gifts, even wine. It wasn't the same relationship Natalie had once known, but it still seemed so comfortable and familiar, and she was happier than ever.

"Have you told your family? About Jess?" Natalie asked one night, she was laying on the couch, her head in Henry's lap, looking up at him. Henry stroked her hair and replied,

"Not yet."

"Why not?" Natalie asked. "It's kind of important." She added.

"Of course it is! I just….I don't know." Henry murmured. Natalie sat up,

"What do you mean you don't know? When are you going to tell them?"

"I'm waiting for the right time, I just want to see how things go." Natalie seemed really upset now.

"What do you mean see how things go! Henry – you and I are taking it slowly to see how things go, because we aren't positive that it's going to work out. Are you saying that…what..you being her father isn't going to work out!" She cried, trying to keep her voice down, and standing up.

"Of course not Natalie! Look, it's kind of a hard thing to tell them, so I'm waiting until it's a good time – over the phone really isn't a good way…."

"But you barely ever see them!" Natalie argued.

"Yeah, because my Dad's an asshole! Maybe I don't want them knowing, I don't want him screwing her up the way he did me."

"What so you're just going to hide her your whole life!" Natalie yelled.

"Shhh…" Henry stood up and shushed her. "Look, of course it's not like that. You know what…fine, I'll call them tomorrow."

"Do you promise?" Natalie asked. Henry kissed her gently.

"Promise. Of course me being her father is going to work out, and you and me – we're going to work out too. I know it, okay?" Natalie sighed.

"I'll be really pissed off if you don't call tomorrow." She said.

"I will." Henry told her and kissed her again.

"I'll call you right after and let you know it goes, okay?" Natalie nodded and she kissed him this time.

"Goodnight." Henry hugged her and whispered and then left.

The next day….

Henry sat in his office during his lunch break, took a deep breath, and cautiously dialed his old home phone number.

"Hello?" He smiled, happy that it was his mom and not his father.

"Mom, hey."

"Henry! Sweetheart, how are you?" She asked excitedly.

"I'm good….I um actually wanted to tell you guys something."

"Is something wrong?"

"Oh no! No, no, no. Um, hey do you remember…Natalie?" Henry could almost feel his mother tense up. Henry had gone through a rough time after the break up, a really rough time and his family sat and watched. They knew he was going through it because of her, and they had grown this hatred for her and what she did to him.

"Natalie Goodman?" His mother asked, and he could hear disgust in her voice.

"Yes."

"Of course I remember _her_." Henry could hear the bitterness when she said 'her'.

"Good, uh well. I ran into her a little while ago, and uh I found out something important. Natalie…she broke up with me…to protect me from something. She didn't want it holding me back or hurting me, so she took off..but uh. Natalie was pregnant. When we broke up." Henry cringed, waiting for his mom to speak, but she didn't. So he continued, "And she had a daughter, and….we had a paternity test taken a little while ago and..and she's mine." Henry's mother cut him off.

"Why was there a paternity test? Who elses would it be?" She asked

Henry took a deep breath.

"Um, she had…."

"Slept with someone else while you were together! Yeah, she was the type…"

"Mom, please! Yes, okay…but don't talk about her like that. Until she left, you LOVED Natalie, don't deny it. You know she went through a tough time, but you know she was an awesome person."

"Fine. I liked her back when you two were in high school. Didn't see much of her in college but…"

"No buts..she was just as great. And yes – look she was honest with me, yes there was another possible father…but she's mine, our daughter. And I've been seeing her and taking her on weekends, and thought you'd like to know."

"Yes, Henry…it's good to know I have a granddaughter nobody told me about! So, she just hid this from you for 4 years?"

"Yes, but…she just didn't want me to get hurt. We talked, she was trying to protect me."

"Well of course she was." Henry's mom muttered.

"Mom! Please! Don't hate her because of what happened to me, that was my fault." Henry's mom sighed.

"I'm sorry, it's just that she was the reason that my son was hurting so badly, but you're right, she was a nice girl."

"She still is Mom. And Jessica….my daughter…she's amazing, Mom."

"I'd like to meet her. And I haven't seen you in months – how about you two come over for dinner Saturday night?"

Henry didn't want to – he didn't want his father meeting Jessica, but he knew that to keep the peace he had to say yes.

"Sounds good." He replied.

"I'll see you two then, I love you Henry."

"I love you too, Mom."

**Saturday night:**

"You two have fun." Natalie said, zipping up Jessica's raincoat.

"You, try to get some rest." Henry told Natalie. "Your mom never sleeps." He said, bending down to Jessica's height. She smiled.

"Mommy is busy, busy, busy!" She exclaimed. Henry and Natalie chuckled.

"Alright, I love you." Natalie kissed Jessica's forehead and smiled at Henry. "Be good." She warned him, she knew about his rocky relationship with his Dad.

Henry pulled into an all too familiar driveway and sighed.

"Alright, let's go kiddo." Henry said, lifting Jessica from her car seat. He held her hand as they walked up the walkway and rang the bell. His mom answered, and smiled.

"Sweetheart." She exclaimed, and hugged him and kissed him.

"My goodness, and this must be Jessica!" Henry's mom cried, kneeling down. Jessica smiled.

"Give her a hug, Jess." Henry said and Jessica quietly hugged her Grandma, who let them inside. Henry could hear heavy footsteps approaching and rolled his eyes as his father appeared.

He glanced down at Jessica and back up at Henry.

"Henry." He muttered, sticking his hand out. Henry shook it cautiously.

"Hey." Was all he said. Henry knelt down protectively beside his daughter, putting an arm tightly around her shoulder.

"This is Jessica, my daughter. Jess, this is your Grandpa." Henry told her. She nodded and smiled weakly. Mr. Carter smiled and bent down.

"It's so nice to meet you, Jessica." Was all he said. They all sat down to eat and made small talk, and Jessica was oddly quiet. Mrs. Carter could tell she wasn't very happy so she said,

"You know Jessica…if you go upstairs to the first door, there's a room where I set up some of your daddy's old toys if you'd like to play. There's blocks, and trains, and crayons and coloring books…and lots more if you'd like to go take a look." Jessica smiled and whispered

"Thank you." And then got up and made her way up the stairs.

"Your mom told me, about what went on a few years back, with that druggie." Mr. Carter muttered. Henry took a deep breath.

"She's not a druggie. Never was." He said firmly. Mr. Carter snorted,

"Alright." He said sarcastically. "So, she goes off partying like a little slut, gets pregnant and then doesn't tell you for four years. Probably wanted the kid for herself, selfish little…"

"HEY! That's enough." Henry yelled. Mrs. Carter sighed.

"Look you don't know her so just shut up." Henry cried.

"Excuse me?"

"Excuse ME!" Henry replied, standing up and slamming his fork down.

"Who the hell do you think you are!"

"Henry, stop it." Mrs. Carter said, putting a hand on his arm and sitting him back down.

"He has no right to disrespect her like that."

"Why do you care so much Henry, she's out of your life, and thank God…" Mr. Carter added.

"Why do I care! Maybe because we have a daughter together, and because you have no right to be judging her!"

"Really, because she's been hiding my granddaughter from…."

"HEY…stop." Mrs. Carter scolded, gesturing towards the stairs, where Jessica was watching.

They all looked at the upset looking girl in silence.

"Jess, c'mere." Henry said and she slowly walked down the stairs and stood next to him.

"Are you done?" Henry asked his dad.

"My son, my granddaughter, I have a right to serve up a piece of my mind. And if you ask me, she was a selfish, irresponsible, you know what…getting with god knows how many guys…"

"ONE." Henry yelled. "One other guy…and me. That's it. She's not selfish, and she's not irresponsible, and never was either of those things, so you know what…just…nobody asked you."

"How do you know it was only one other guy! How do you know she didn't slip the paternity test doctor some cash to give you the result you wanted?" Mr. Carter accused.

"Excuse me!" Henry yelled, and Jessica jumped.

"You know what, I'm fucking sick of this, you have no right to be disrespecting me and my family like this. We're going, Jess."

"No need to storm out, Henry." Mr. Carter said.

"Thanks for dinner, mom." Henry said, ignoring his Dad, and zipping up Jessica's jacket.

"I'm sorry." He apologized to her.

"It's okay, I understand." His mother said.

"Goodbye, Jessica." She quickly hugged her granddaughter. "I hope I'll see you soon." She told her.

"Me too." Jessica replied. Mr. Carter stood up,

"Goodbye Jessica." And he walked over, and opened his arms for an awkward hug. Jessica looked him up and down,

"Can I have a hug goodbye?" He asked.

"I don't want to hug you…if you were disrespecting my Daddy." She whispered and Henry grinned brightly.

His daughter…with his girlfriend's sass. She was perfect.

Mr. Carter smiled grimly at her, and then glared at Henry and whispered,

"Nice job with her." Sarcastically.

"I know…she's amazing." Henry said smugly, picking up his daughter, kissing his mom goodbye, and walking out – planning on never going back.

Henry rang Natalie's doorbell, holding Jessica's hand tightly. She was sort of grumpy, and he couldn't blame her, after being around his father. And she was exhausted. Natalie opened the door,

"You guys are back early." She commented.

"We left!" Jessica exclaimed, walking inside.

"What do you mean?" Natalie asked and Henry stepped in too.

"Grandpa was disreflecting…"

"Disrespecting." Henry gently corrected.

"Disrespecting Henry so we LEFT!" Jessica explained proudly.

"You just walked out?" Natalie asked Henry.

"I'm not tolerating his you know what anymore. He had no right to be saying the things he was saying."

"Jess, go to your room, Henry will come say goodnight." Natalie told her daughter who sighed and slugged her way to her bedroom.

"What'd he say?" She asked.

"Shit he has no right to be saying."

"About you?"

"About you. And me. And Jessica. I'm through with him. He fucked me over, I'm not letting him do it to her, or make her feel the way he makes me feel." Natalie nodded.

"Okay. What did he say about me?" Natalie asked.

"Nothing."

"Henry, c'mon I've heard it all before I just want to know."

"It doesn't matter what he thinks of you."

"I know, I just want to know what he said." Henry looked at Natalie's gentle eyes.

"Slut? Whore? Drug addict? C'mon, just tell me." Natalie told him. Henry sighed.

"Something like that." He murmured. "But don't you listen to a word of it." Natalie sighed. "Hey, c'mon, none of it's true." He said, hugging her.

"It is."

"It's not."

"Why don't you go say goodnight?" Natalie asked.

"Are you okay?" Henry asked her.

"Yeah."

"Please don't believe anything he said."

"Okay." Henry kissed her cheek and walked into Jessica's room.

"Goodnight kiddo, I'm sorry about tonight. I know it wasn't lots of fun, but I appreciate you going and being good."

"Anytime, Daddi-o." Jessica replied, giggling. Henry smiled and tucked her under the covers.

"Wow you put your pajamas on by yourself."

"YUP!" Jessica squeeled.

"Your shirt's on inside out…but we don't have to tell mom." Henry told her.

"Our little secret." Jessica said.

"Yeah." Henry said, chuckling. "Goodnight, I love you." He added.

"Goodnight, I love you too." She said, pulling the blankets around herself. Henry walked out and grabbed Natalie's hands.

"Don't worry about him, okay? He's wrong." He kissed her gently.

"I'll see you later." She told him. Henry nodded,

"Sleep tight." He told her and kissed her one more time before heading out.

"Wait, Henry! Did you tell your parents….that you and I are…together?"

"No, I thought we weren't telling anyone." Henry replied. Natalie sighed.

"Yeah, we're not I was just making sure. I don't want them like calling my parents….or whatever."

"Our little secret." Henry murmured and winked. Natalie laughed. "Bye."

**Super duper sorry for the longggg wait! Hope it was worth it…reviews? **


	15. Chapter 15: She Just Hates Me

**I just want you all to know that I re-read all of the reviews for this story and I'm just so happy that you all like it. You've all been sooo kind, thank you SO MUCH for your feedback and compliments, they really make my day and inspire me to update quickly and write more. So, thank you, and enjoy :D**

"Hey." Henry said as Natalie swung open the apartment door.

"Hey." She replied, smiling and kissing him.

Jessica had gone over for a sleepover at Dan and Diana's house, so Natalie and Henry could spend some time alone. He walked inside and they just immediately sat down and started talking. Natalie knew that they could talk and talk forever about anything together. Pretty soon they ended up sitting on Natalie's bed, looking through scrapbooks both from high school and college and from when Jessica was younger.

"You guys had a dog?" Henry asked, pointing to a page filled with pictures of Jessica holding, snuggling, washing, and running alongside a small beagle.

"Ah, no that was one of my boyfriend's dogs…Chewy." Natalie told him.

"You had a boyfriend named Chewy?" Henry asked.

"The DOG." Natalie replied.

"Oh." Henry began laughing.

"You're so…" Natalie began but then stopped.

"What? I'm so what?" Henry asked, playfully tickling her.

"Nothing." She managed to laugh out when she got a chance to breathe.

"Adorable? Funny? Romantic? Sweet?" Henry asked. "All of the above!" He demanded, tickling her harder.

"STOP!" Natalie shrieked, standing up and running out of the room. Henry followed her, both of them red in the face from laughing so hard. Henry held her around the waste and kissed her gently, putting a hand on her cheek, and running his finger up and down her face. Natalie felt her skin tingle at his touch and pulled away.

"What?" Henry asked.

"I…I just…" Natalie began walking towards the couch and plopped down, Henry followed.

"It's just like…" Natalie smiled which relieve Henry since he thought something was wrong.

"Like, the past few weeks..since we've been together…" She grabbed his hands. "I've just been like….not myself. Like when we were together in high school I was this tough, bitchy, like,…"

"You weren't bitchy." Henry insisted.

"Independent…" Natalie continued,

"Stressed out girl, and now I'm like giddy…and romantic..and I GIGGLE." Henry laughed,

"And I'm like flirty and smiley, and vulnerable and just nothing like myself and I don't even know." Natalie chuckled.

"Is this meant..in a good way?" Henry asked cautiously.

"Yes! Well, I don't know….I'm not myself, but I'm…I'm happier than I think I've ever been." She admitted. Henry smiled and leaned his forehead against hers.

"Me too." He whispered. Natalie smiled and kissed him hard.

"This is going to work, better than last time, I know it." She whispered. Henry just grinned and hugged her, holding her close to him.

He buried his face in her hair and she realized after a few moments that she could feel his heart beat against her chest and she melted in his arms, allowing him to pull her even closer. Suddenly Henry's heart raced, and he could feel something, something familiar and in that moment he wanted to share it with her, share that feeling, and tell her those 3 words he used to say every day.

He pulled away and toyed with her hair,

"We're playing it safe…taking it slow, right?" He checked. Natalie nodded and kissed him and her phone rang.

"What, Dad?" She whined and Henry smiled. He could hear Mr. Goodman's voice through the phone but couldn't make out any words.

"What? Is she oka…but she's never gotten like that…she was fine at Henry's…" Henry moved closer trying to understand what was going on. "Oh…God….is it bad? Okay, okay….you're on your way? Yeah, I hear…she…well is she sick! Oh my God..okay..okay fine, no it's fine, I'll se you in a few, bye." Natalie hung up and put her head in her hands.

"What?" Henry asked, rubbing her back soothingly.

"Poor kid." Natalie murmured. "He said she's hysterical, begging to come home." She added. "Was she okay when she slept over your place?"

"Yeah, she was fine….bouncing off the walls, given the amount of candy we ate." Natalie giggled. "But fine." Henry replied. Natalie shrugged,

"He said she actually made herself throw up, that's how hard she was crying." Henry looked horrified so Natalie said, "Sometimes kids do that, when they get REALLY upset. My dad says I missed like half of 1st grade because all I did was cry and vomit and get sent home." Henry laughed, but then stopped.

"They're on their way?"

"Yeah, look, I'm sorry…"

"Don't apologize." Henry quickly said.

"My dad said he took her temperature, but she might be actually sick ,and that might be why she was getting so upset. Can you start bubble bath water, and get the thermometer out of the medicine cabinet, while I get some tea for her?" Natalie asked, standing up.

"Yeah, of course." Henry got up to go do what he was asked and pretty soon the doorbell rang.

"Henry!" Natalie cried.

"I got it." Henry went and swung open the door. Jessica, standing looking tiny and scared and tear stained in her pajamas looked up at him and then right past him yelling

"Mommy! Mommy!" And began crying again.

"Jess, Jess, I'm right here!" She said, coming out of the kitchen. Jessica ran into her arms, sobbing and Dan walked in and sighed.

Henry watched as Natalie hushed her daughter, and hugged her, rubbing her back, and whispering in her ears, and holding her tightly until she calmed down.

"What are you doing here?" Dan asked Henry.

"Shit." Henry thought.

"Um, Nat and I were just talking about some uh…custody stuff."

"Oh, everything okay?"

"Yeah!" Henry exclaimed.

"Yeah, that's important, you know cause Nat's her only legal guardian, so you guys need to work with that, and then stuff in your wills and such…I have a buddy who deals with that stuff, let me know if you need help."

"Thanks, Mr. Goodman." Henry replied. "What happened?" He asked.

"I don't know." Dan admitted. "She was fine for a little while and then just threw this tantrum, but it's not just like..tired..or being a brat or something….she looked just terrified and I tried calming her down for a while, and she just wouldn't stop, and I mean I'm not one to give up but she was begging for Natalie, I think, there's something else going on."

"She was fine at my place." Henry told him.

"She's usually okay with us too! Have you noticed anything…I don't know odd with her lately?" Dan asked.

"Nope." Natalie stood up and held Jessica's hands and whispered.

"It's okay Jess, relax." And stroked her hair. The little girl sniffled some more.

"Mommy." She whined, and clung onto Natalie's leg.

"Dad, can I talk to you?" Natalie asked. Dan nodded.

"Jess, go hang out in your room for a few minutes." Natalie said gently.

"NO! No I'm staying with you!" She cried, squeezing her mom tighter.

"Jess, I'll come play in your room with you." Henry offered, walking towards her.

"NONONONO!" Jessica shrieked, holding Natalie tighter.

"C'mon kiddo, it's okay." Henry stroked her hair and she jumped away.

"MOMMY!" Jessica yelled.

"Jess, go play, please. Grandpa and I need to talk. I'll be right here, I promise." Jessica didn't budge and continued crying.

"Just pick her up and take her." Natalie murmured. Henry looked up at her, unsure, but she nodded so Henry reached down and lifted a sobbing Jessica up.

She continued yelling and crying and flailed her arms and Natalie put her head in her hands and shook her head, walking over to her Dad as Henry brought her into her room and closed her door.

"Shh..Jess." Jessica threw herself onto her bed.

"Mommy! Mommy!" She cried. Henry moved closer and rubbed her back gently.

"Mom will be right back in, kiddo. I'm here, it's okay. What's going on kiddo?"

"I want mommy."

"I know, but why are you so upset?" Henry asked, kissing her cheek.

"I just want my mommy." She groaned, crying harder.

"Shh, calm down Jess. Relax..it's okay..shhh..shh." Henry kept rubbing her back and whispering to her but she still just cried.

"I just..what would make her act like this out of nowhere?" Natalie asked her Dad. He shrugged.

"Try talking to her today and tomorrow, let me know what happens."

"I will." Natalie told him. "Thanks!"

"I'm not going to say goodbye, but tell her I said to sleep tight." Dan said.

"Sure."

"Night sweetheart."

"Goodnight Dad."

"Okay…" Natalie said, walking into Jessica's room, but before she could finish Jessica had leaped up and ran into her, hugging her tightly. Natalie kneeled down.

"Jessica, sweetheart, come sit on the bed with me." She snuggled into her mom's lap in the bed and continued gripping her tightly. Natalie motioned for Henry to sit next to them, so he did.

"Jess, something is obviously wrong. You're getting so upset, and you're not acting like yourself. So just look at me…" Natalie tilted Jessica's head to look up at her. "And tell me what's wrong, okay? I want to help."

"I just want you mommy." Jessica whispered, squeezing harder.

"Jess, I need you to tell us what's going on." Henry was happy Natalie was including him in this. "We're your mom and dad, you can tell us anything." She added.

"C'mon Jess." Henry whispered, gently, stroking her hair.

"I'm scared." She finally whispered.

"Of what?" Natalie asked.

"You being gone." Jessica said quietly.

"What do you mean? I'm not going anywhere, sweetheart."

"I had a nightmare and it won't go away!" Jessica yelled crying.

"What happened?" Henry asked.

"I woke up and mommy was gone and nobody was here and I was all by myself but then Henry came but it still wasn't mommy and nobody knew where you went and you never came back."

"Jess, that's never happening. I promise, it was just a dream, that will never ever happen." Natalie kissed her forehead.

"It's still scary." Jessica groaned.

"I know, but I promise, it'll never happen! Whenever you're not around me, you'll be with me again soon, I promise."

"Can I just go to bed?" Jessica whispered.

"Of course." Henry stood up and helped to tuck Jessica in.

"Goodnight, sweetheart." Natalie said, kissing her and hugging her.

"I love you Mommy."

"I love you too."

"Sleep tight, Jess." Henry squeezed her hand but Jessica reached up to hug him so he embraced her tightly and kissed her cheek.

"I love you." He told her.

"Love you too Daddy." Henry smiled at how she still hadn't chosen whether to call him Henry or Daddy and was constantly switching back and forth.

Him and Natalie walked out and Henry shut the light off and closed the door.

"I'm sorry." He said.

"For what?"

"It's my fault…she's having those dreams I bet because I've been taking her a lot lately. I'm sorry, I don't have to take her so…."

"That's not it…I'm sure.."

"I think it is. It makes sense, doesn't it?" Natalie thought about it and nodded.

"Can we talk tomorrow, I'm exhausted."

"I bet." Henry replied.

"It's fine, call me." He hugged her tightly, running his hand up and down her back.

"Sleep tight." He kissed her gently and Natalie smiled,

"See you."

**They never got the chance to talk, and things with Jessica were fine until later that week….**

"I don't want to go to your house!" Jessica screamed at Henry kicking at him.

"Whoa, hey, hey stop kicking." Henry grabbed her, and held her tightly so she couldn't anymore. Natalie had been trying to hold her back and yelling at her but it hadn't been working.

"I just want to stay here with Mommy." She whined, tears heavily streaming down her face. She gripped Natalie tightly. Natalie looked at Henry sympathetically.

"I'm sorry." She whispered to him. He sighed.

"It's okay. Hey, Jess? Look, if you're not in the mood to come over today, it's okay. You don't have to. I understand, okay?" Jessica smiled weakly.

"So I'll just see you next week, right? And maybe we can talk on the phone okay?" She nodded.

"Can I have a kiss goodbye?" Jessica shook her head and ran into her room. Henry stood up.

"Look, I don't know what's going on with her I'm sorry I just…I don't even know…." Natalie explained.

"It's okay." Henry interrupted. She could tell he was a little bit hurt.

"Go say goodbye." Natalie said. They walked into the little girl's room and Henry kissed her cheek while she played with her dollhouse.

"Goodnight, I love you." He told her to no response. Natalie walked him out to his car.

"My Dad says to give it a few more days and then talk to the child behavior study team at the school, and then maybe take her to…to ther…"

"She doesn't need therapy!" Henry cried. "She just hates me!"

"She doesn't, she loves you and the way she's acting isn't normal!" Natalie argued.

"Whatever, goodnight." Henry said getting in the car.

"Alright don't start getting pissy with me." Natalie told him.

"I'm not."

"You are. You know what, fine, you need to relax, this is all frustrating I know. I'll talk to you tomorrow." Natalie bent into the car and kissed Henry quickly. And he sped away.

**Sort of a pointless chapter but this is going somewhere…promise! Reviews?**


	16. Chapter 16: All Goes Black

"Sometimes with kids the nightmares just have what seems like an overdramatic affect but it's really quite normal."

"So it's normal for her to act this way?" Natalie spat at the child behavior specialist from the preschool.

"It's normal for a simple nightmare to impact children this badly for this long, yes." He replied.

"But where did the nightmare come from? Why would she dream about that?" Henry asked.

"If she's feeling some kind of disconnection from either, you Ms. Goodman, or from anything or anyone else in her life. It might just be coming out as disconnection from her mom because that's someone very important to her. It could be anything. A lost teddy bear, a grandparent she hasn't seen in a while…it could be either not seeing something or someone anymore, or feeling not close to them. Feeling like they're far away relationship wise and like they will never be close. I hope I helped you guys out, I'm happy to talk and help further but I have another appointment." He answered.

"Okay, thanks." Henry said, knowing Natalie was pissy and wouldn't say anything.

They walked into the play area where a teacher was watching some kids from the after school program and picked up Jessica. Everything was fine and normal until they got home.

"Jess I need to talk to mom, do you think you could give us some privacy?" Henry asked gently.

"Fine." Jessica sighed. "Mommy you promise you'll be here when I come back?" Jessica asked.

"Of course. I promise." Jessica smiled and skipped off to her room.

"It's my fault Natalie, it's…all of it – it's my fault. She's feeling like she's losing you because I take her so often, and that blowup with my parents – she feels like they'll never be close. I get it….it's all me." Natalie sighed.

"I'm sure it's not that…"

"What else could it be?" Henry snapped. Natalie grabbed his hands.

"Look, I don't know. I just don't like you blaming yourself like that, okay?" Henry nodded.

"Alright, I'll talk to you later." He said.

"Yeah." Natalie murmured, kissing him quickly.

"Jess! Come say goodbye." She called and Jessica skipped out of her room.

"Goodnight Daddy."

"Night Jess." Henry ruffled her hair and walked out.

Things mysteriously got better with Jessica, until about 2 weeks later. Natalie and her had been out to lunch on the Main Street in town, and Henry was going to pick Jess up for the night from the restaurant. They decided to get ice cream together.

"Alright, you be good." Natalie said, wiping the ice cream from Jessica's face, preparing to leave.

"Mommy, come with us." Jessica pouted.

"I can't sweetheart, I have work to do."

"PLEASE? I don't wanna go with Daddy."

"Hey! You'll hurt Daddy's feelings." Natalie scolded her. Henry bit his lip, not this again.

"I'm sorry." Jessica whispered. "I just want to stay with you." She cried, hugging Natalie's legs.

"Don't go." She begged.

"Please, please, don't go." She said, tears beginning to flow.

"Sweetheart, I have to. Look I'll see you later." Natalie kissed her forehead.

"I love you."

"I love you mommy that's why I don't want you to go!" Jessica was full on crying by now.

"I'll see you later." Natalie insisted, Henry grabbed Jessica and picked her up, she hit against his chest, crying.

"I'm sorry." Natalie muttered. Henry just nodded.

"Hey, Jess….look at this, the circus is coming next month." Henry said, pointing to a flyer in a store front window. Jessica wiggled out of his arms, but he kept his hand on her shoulder.

She stood, arms crossed, watching her mom wait for the pedestrian light to allow her to cross the intersection.

"Stay here." Henry warned, reading up about the circus, trying to commit the dates and website to memory. He didn't even see Jessica begin to wander out of his eye sight.

And as Natalie crossed the street, she didn't feel or see her daughter beginning to trail behind her, as the light changed. The roaring of a truck got closer, but of course Natalie couldn't have known.

"Hey, Jess, I think we…." Henry's sentence faced when he turned and realized his daughter was gone.

"Jess?" He murmured, turning around. His daughter still had about 18 long feet to go before she would reach the sidewalk on the opposite side of the street.

And the rushing truck had just as long, but made better use of the time.

"Mommy!" Jessica yelled. Natalie turned around, realizing what would happen, face stricken in horror.

"Jess." Henry whispered. And it all went away. It all went black.

**Sorry! LONG WAIT…for a short, sucky chapter. It took me a while to figure out where to take the story but I know now :D So I'll be updating more often. PLEASE REVIEW!**


	17. Chapter 17: Skip The Slow 3 Words

Blinding bright whiteness filled Henry's eyes. He groaned and saw someone move beside him.

"Henry." Natalie whispered, diving into the bed and hugging him.

"Hi." He said, totally confused.

"Henry." Natalie cried, and he could feel tears hitting his neck. "You're okay." She cried, squeezing him tighter. Henry rubbed her back. "You're okay…thank God, you're okay. Henry." She sobbed.

"Sh. Yeah, I'm okay, sh, it's okay Nat. Calm down." Henry said gently, holding her.

"I have to get the nurse." Natalie said, pressing the nurse call button and pretty soon Henry's hospital room was swarmed with doctors and nurses, shining lights in his eyes, asking him questions, but finally they left.

"5 days? I've been out for 5 days?" He asked Natalie once they were gone. She was sitting on his bed, holding his hand, and she nodded. She kissed his cheek.

"5 scariest days of my life."

"How did this even happen? How did I get hit by the truck?" Henry asked.

"You jumped out and pushed her out of the way. I swear, you moved so quickly I didn't even see it happen. All I saw was you..on the road…" Natalie's eyes filled with tears.

"And she was crying, and she saw you too and I just…I thought that was it, you were gone." She began sobbing again.

"And you cracked 3 ribs, got a concussion, possible skull damage, fractured your neck, and broke your arm."

"And what about Jess? Is Jess okay?" Natalie nodded.

"She's still in a room too."

"She's still in the hospital?" Henry asked. Natalie nodded.

"I guess you pushed her kind of hard. She broke an arm, and hit her head pretty bad."

"God, I'm so sorry Nat."

"Don't you dare apologize. You saved her life." Natalie kissed his forehead.

"You need to rest, okay? Get some sleep."

"I've been asleep for five days." Henry joked.

"Not funny." Natalie said, smiling.

"Henry." She said gently, leaning into him and hugging him.

"Hm?"

"I know we talked about taking it slow. But you gave me a freaking heart attack . I thought you were gone. And all I could think about was how I wouldn't be able to…deal…with you gone. And how much it would hurt, and I…I just…. I realized that you don't feel that about just anyone. And I want you to know." She pulled away and kissed his lips gently,

"I love you." She said. Henry restrained himself from gasping – his ribs were killing him and he didn't want to breathe any harder than necessary.

"And you mean everything to me. You and Jess. And I couldn't live without you." Natalie's palm stroked Henry's cheek.

"I…You could, Nat. You did, and you raised a beautiful daughter without me. A beautiful daughter I almost got killed."

"Hey! Don't say that!" Natalie hugged him. "She's fine."

"I should have been watching her more carefully."

"Henry you saved her life."

"Her life wouldn't have needed saving if…."

"Sh." Natalie just hugged him again.

"I've never felt so guilty in my life. She must hate me."

"HENRY! Are you kidding me? You should see her she keeps calling you her hero. She loves you. Always has always will." And she squeezed him tighter causing Henry to groan.

"I'm sorry, your ribs. Does it hurt?"

"A little." Henry managed to get out.

"I'm so sorry."

"Don't worry about it." Natalie just kissed him gently.

"I love you too." Henry whispered. Natalie smiled.

"You haven't said that to me in the longest time." She mused.

"Yeah. Feels good." Henry admitted and kissed her hand.

Suddenly a thought that frightened him came into Henry's mind.

"Please tell me, my parents haven't been here." He said. Natalie shook her head.

"We called, my Dad talked to your mom for a little while, but they haven't come." Henry sighed.

"Good." He said, even though deep inside, it kind of hurt.

"I don't want him near her – ever." Natalie kept stroking his cheek gently, and looking into his eyes.

"What kind of father doesn't even come visit his son when shit like this happens?" He wondered aloud. Natalie kissed the top of his head.

"Maybe they're just busy…"

"Or maybe he's a dick. And she's willing to sit back and watch." Natalie didn't know what to say.

"We both have our parental issues."

"How are your parents?" Henry asked, thinking of them.

"Dad's here. Mom's been in and out. Dad says it's hard for her. She hates hospitals."

"So do you." Henry told her. "You used to." He added.

"I still do." Natalie replied, chuckling softly.

"Well I'm sorry you have to be here." Henry said.

"Stop apologizing. Please." Natalie begged, getting up and fixing her ruffled clothes and hair. Henry sighed and groaned.

"Do you need advil? I can ask the nurse…"

"No, it's fine."

"You sure?" Henry nodded.

"Thanks though."

"Look, you really need to sleep. So I'm gonna go back to Jess's room…"

"No, no stay." Natalie shook her head and kissed him gently.

"The nurse said you really needed sleep. I'll see you in a few hours. Let me know if you need something, okay?" Henry nodded.

"I love you." He said, and kissed her.

"I love you too."

**Boring. I know. PLEASE review, though. **


	18. Chapter 18: We'll Get By

"Da…"

"Shh. He's still asleep." Natalie said, stroking Jessica's hair. They stood in the doorway of Henry's hospital room. Jessica was wearing a tiny hospital gown.

"Can I go closer?" She whispered. Natalie nodded and lifted her up, and set her down on her lap in the chair besides Henry's bed. Jessica leaned over and poked Henry's arm.

"Hey! What did I say? He's asleep." Natalie scolded in a whisper. "He needs to rest sweetheart." Jessica leaned her head on Natalie's shoulder. Henry's eyes fluttered open, though, and he sat up and grinned.

"Kiddo." He whispered. Jessica smiled brightly,

"DADDY!" She cried, jumping into his arms. Henry grunted and Natalie saw him fill with pain as she crashed into his ribs but he just sighed and hugged her tightly. He kissed her hair,

"How are you?" He asked.

"Alright. How are YOU?" Jessica asked.

"I'm wonderful, now that you're here." He said.

"Daddy you're my hero." Jessica said, putting her hands on Henry's cheeks.

"Aw, what are Dads for?" Henry asked. Jessica kissed his nose.

"I thought you would be hurt really bad, and that you might not be here anymore. I thought you might die." Jessica whispered sadly.

"No! Hey, don't you worry, I'm right here. I'm okay." Henry insisted, and kissed and hugged her again, realizing how much he'd missed her.

"I love you." Jessica exclaimed.

"I love you too." Henry whispered.

"I hate hospitals." Jessica muttered.

"Me too." Henry smiled at Natalie. "We'll be out soon though."

"I hate this yucky gown."

"You look beautiful." Henry told her, stroking her hair.

"I missed you so much." Jessica said, hugging Henry's chest tightly, and closing her eyes.

"I missed you more." Henry said.

"No." Jessica argued, smiling.

"YES."

"NO – I missed YOU more."

"No….I missed you more." Henry argued.

"No…"

"Ahh tickle monster." Henry interrupted his daughter and began tickling her, grinning at the sound of her shrieks of laughter. Finally she settled back into his lap, closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep, his arms tight around her. Natalie watched as Henry's eyes fluttered shut. She got up and lifted up Jessica,

"I'll see you later." She whispered to Henry who tiredly nodded,

"Daddy." Jessica groaned sleepily. Henry kissed her,

"I'll see you soon, I love you."

"I ..love…you too." Natalie leaned down and kissed Henry's cheek, before walking out, holding Jessica.

"Is Daddy going to be okay?" Jessica asked once Natalie brought her back to her own hospital room, and tucked her into the bed.

"Of course he is, Jess."

"He didn't look happy." Jessica said. Natalie sighed,

"I promise – you made his day. He was so happy to see you."

"I was scared Daddy died."

"Sweetie, I told you that Daddy didn't die. Don't you worry about that, he's okay."

"Promise?" Jessica held her pinky out for her Mom and Natalie smiled.

"I promise." And she hooked pinkies with the little girl.

"Mommy?"

"Yeah?" Jessica leaned up and wrapped her arms around Natalie's neck, who happily snuggled her daughter closer in an embrace and held her there.

"Why wasn't Daddy here when I was a baby? Why do I just get him now?" Natalie sighed.

"Well, raising a baby is very hard, Jess."

"I'm not a baby! I'm a big girl!"

"Yes, you are." Natalie chuckled.

"But you were a baby, and babies are hard to take care of. You have to work to make money, and buy food, and change diapers, and wake up late at night, and I was still going to school. It's not an easy job. It's the best job in the world, but it's not easy. And sometimes you're not ready for a big change like that. And Daddy wasn't. And that's okay, because he's ready now, right? And he loves you very much."

"Okay." Jessica said, and pulled away from her mom. "He's staying, right? Taking care of a big girl isn't too hard, right?" Natalie smiled sadly,

"Of course he's staying, sweetheart. Neither of us are going anywhere."

"Good!" Jessica cheered happily. Natalie chuckled.

"Alright, you AND Daddy both need tons of rest. So, why don't you try to take a little nap, okay?"

"Alright." Jessica whispered.

"Okay, good. Sleep tight. I love you." Natalie kissed her forehead.

"I love you too, Mommy." Natalie smiled and walked out. She was walking down the hall and passed her Dad.

"How are you?" He asked.

"Alright." Dan opened his arms for his daughter and hugged her.

"It will be okay. I've been through this before, it will all be over soon."

"Thanks, Dad." Dan smiled grimly.

"I've got to. I'll be back tomorrow." He said.

"You don't have to, I know you have work."

"No, no, it's fine. Why don't you go home to sleep tonight? That chair in her room isn't doing you any good. If anything happens, you're a phone call away and Henry's here. She'll be okay."

"No, I can't leave. I'll see you tomorrow, Dad."

"I love you."

"Love you too." And Dan walked away and Natalie headed back to Henry's room. He was asleep and she smiled and sat down next to him, closing her eyes as well. She fell asleep for about 10 minutes, and then felt someone's finger gently tracing her arm. Natalie opened her eyes and smiled at Henry, who was goofily smiling back. She giggled.

"You should go home and sleep." Henry whispered. Natalie shook her head. Henry chuckled and sighed.

"You okay? You look a little…overwhelmed." He told her.

"Yeah, well." She replied. Henry sat up and leaned over to press his lips to her cheek.

"You sure you're okay?" He asked.

"Yeah."

"We'll be okay, I promise." He told her.

**Next chapter is the last! Please review! :D **


	19. Chapter 19: When Our Long Night Is Done

And Henry was right.

They would be okay.

"Mommy! Mommy!" Jessica tapped Natalie excitedly, jumping up and down. Natalie groaned and rolled over in her bed.

"We have to start cooking!" Jessica cried.

"Jess, it's 5 in the morning, we're not eating until 6 at night. We have plenty of time…go back to bed."

"But I'm already up!" Jessica cried.

"Shhhh." Natalie hushed her. "You'll wake Jason." Jessica covered her mouth when she realized she might have woken her baby brother up. And of course the cries from down the hallway began. Natalie sighed and began getting out of bed.

"Sorry." Jessica whispered.

"It's okay, c'mon a head start on the cooking can't hurt." Natalie said, taking her daughter's hand. As they walked down the hallway to the nursery, Henry walked out of the bathroom, rubbing his eyes.

"DADDY!" Jessica cried, jumping into his arms.

"Hey, kiddo. Happy Thanksgiving." He muttered tiredly, kissing her cheek.

"Happy Thanksgiving." She repeated, resting her head on his shoulder. Henry smiled, and leaned in to quickly kiss Natalie.

"Good morning." He whispered. She rolled her eyes.

"Were you an early riser today, Jess?" Henry asked and she smiled and nodded. Henry chuckled, and they all went into the baby's nursery.

Henry put Jessica down as she ran over to a set of blocks and began building with them. Natalie was lifting 7 month old Jason out of his crib. Henry and Natalie had gotten married a few months after the accident, and she soon became pregnant with Jason.

Henry had been the happiest person in the world when he found out he would get to be there for his child, this time. For the pregnancy, and the birth, and all of the firsts he had missed with Jessica.

Henry wrapped his arms around Natalie's waist from behind as she held and gently bounced Jason. Henry kissed her neck.

"Happy Thanksgiving." He murmured.

"You too." She whispered.

"Did you hear Jason?" Henry cooed, reaching for his son and taking him from Natalie.

"It's turkey day! Turkey day! Gobble, gobble, gobble, gobble." Jason shrieked with laughter at the faces Henry was making and both Natalie and Jessica laughed.

"Can we start cooking?" Jessica asked.

"Yes. If your Dad can handle your brother." Natalie teased and Henry stuck his tongue out.

"Let's go." Natalie said, taking Jessica's hand.

Diana and Dan arrived later, along with Henry's brother, and his fiancé, and Henry's mom. Him and her had worked things out but his Dad was simply a lost cause. His mom had lunch with him, but came over their house for dinner. Everything was going smoothly, as Henry promised things would.

Two years later Henry and Natalie added two more babies to the bunch – one boy, William Dean, and a girl, Kathryn Alexandra. It wasn't planned, but once they were sure they were financially stable, they couldn't wait to have two new children in their lives. They dealt with problems in their relationship, and more family issues, and problems with the kids, and problems with their jobs, but they stuck it out as they always did, and lived happily ever after : D

**I really couldn't think of a non cheesy way to end – so I picked the cheesiest!**

**Please review and let me know about your thoughts on this chapter and the story! **

**Thanks!**


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